Former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III expressed confidence in the police force’s ability to carry out any orders related to the alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
In an interview, Torre clarified that he was not instructed to act on the matter. He had previously led the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in facilitating former President Rodrigo Duterte’s surrender to the ICC in March regarding his crimes against humanity case.
“First and foremost, hindi naman ako nautusan regarding that. Ngayon nga, pinagdedebatehan pa kung mayroon nga o wala. Definitely, hindi ako nautusan diyan. I would defer to the expertise and wisdom of those who will be implementing that kung mayroon man,” Torre said.
He also expressed confidence in the PNP’s capability, noting that the police force continues to function effectively even after his departure in August.
“I’m very sure kayang-kaya ng PNP ‘yan. The PNP is composed of 220,000 people and I have never ever considered myself indispensable. Nawala ako sa PNP, hindi naman tumigil ang PNP,” Torre added.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla had revealed that an ICC arrest warrant exists against Dela Rosa but clarified that the copy in his possession was not official.