PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Nicolas Torre III has directed the conduct of a review of the PNP’s standard operational procedures (SOP) to mitigate the danger to the lives of police personnel, especially when responding to crime incidents.
In an interview with reporters, Torre said he particularly ordered a review of the procedures and equipment used by police personnel during emergency responses, in light of the deaths of two cops in Quezon City and Danao City in Cebu at the hands of crime suspects.
“Kasi totoo talaga ‘yan, kaya nga kung saan tumatakbo palayo ang mga mamamayan dahil sa takot dahil sa may nangyayaring krimen, ang pulis ay pasalubong doon sa kriminal na ‘yun sa krimen na nangyayari. ‘Yan naman ang gusto nating mangyari, kaya nga responde, e,” Torre said.
(Because that’s really true—where people run away out of fear because a crime is happening, the police are the ones who run toward the criminal and the incident. That’s what we want to happen, that’s what a response is.)
“Pero of course, ang danger laging nandiyan. We recognize that. We are going to review our procedures, our equipment, kung makakatulong ba ang additional na armoring ng ating mga tauhan or ‘yung SOP… May SOPs naman na existing regarding the use of armored vests during police operations. So ire-review natin ‘yun, titingnan lang natin para at least ma-mitigate naman ang danger sa ating mga tauhan,” he added.
(But of course, the danger is always there—we recognize that. We are going to review our procedures, our equipment, to see whether additional armoring for our personnel or the existing SOPs can help… There are existing SOPs on the use of armored vests during police operations. So we’ll revisit those and check, at least to mitigate the danger to our personnel.)
The top cop also ordered the intensification of police checkpoints against illegal firearms.
“Lalo natin paigtingin, lalo natin hahanapin ang mga baril na ‘yan, lalo natin hihigpitan ang mga illegal na baril sa kalsada,” Torre said.
(We will intensify [our efforts], we will search for those firearms even more, and we will be stricter against illegal guns on the streets.)
Torre made the statement during his visit to the wake of Patrolman Harwin Curtney Baggay, who was killed during a gunfight with an armed robbery suspect in Quezon City in the early morning of Monday, June 30, 2025.
The suspect was also killed in the incident.
Torre conferred a Medalya ng Kadakilaan on Baggay, while his patrol buddy was given the Medalya ng Kagalingan.
On June 27, Police Patrolman Mark Gomer Ornopia Sr. of the Danao City Police Station was killed while responding to an armed person alarm.
Ornopia and a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel were escorting an inmate for a court hearing when he was alerted about a person who had broken into a convenience store and taken the security guard’s firearm.
The suspect opened fire as the uniformed men approached, hitting Ornopia in the head.
The suspect was killed by the BJMP personnel.
As part of Torre’s programs is the five-minute emergency response policy, which requires policemen to respond to the public’s call within that period.
Torre earlier removed several police commanders from their posts for failing to implement and follow the five-minute response policy. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)