MANILA, Philippines – Inirekomenda ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) sa Office of the President na permanenteng italaga bilang hepe ng Philippine National Police (PNP) si Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.
Ginawa ni Senador JV Ejercito, sponsor ng panukalang P308.239 bilyon na badyet ng DILG at mga kalakip na ahensya nito para sa susunod na taon, ang kumpirmasyon nitong Huwebes sa nagpapatuloy na debate sa plenaryo sa 2026 General Appropriations Bill.
“According to our DILG Secretary, they have forwarded already to the Office of the President for the permanent appointment of our current chief PNP,” saad ni Ejercito.
Ito ay matapos tanungin ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, isang dating chief PNP, kung bakit nananatili si Nartatez bilang acting PNP chief tatlong buwan matapos ang kanyang hinalinhan na si Police General Nicolas Torre III, ay tinanggal sa kanyang puwesto.
Kung maaalala, sinabi ng National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) na si Torre, “though relieved from his post, continues to hold the rank of Police General — a rank that by law can only be vested in a single officer at a time.”
Si Nartatez, isang three-star general, ang pumalit sa pamunuan ng PNP noong Agosto ng taong ito sa kabila ng pag-outranking ni Torre sa kanya sa four-star rank.
“My understanding, Mr. President, ‘yung rank kasi iba sa position. He can be full time chief PNP if the NAPOLCOM feels that he is fully qualified with three stars on his shoulders. It doesn’t matter. And when Nick Torre retires then na-vacate ‘yung four-star position, that’s the time that he can be promoted. But you know position and rank are two different matters,” ani Lacson.
“He (Torre) resigned as chief PNP, so he’s no longer chief PNP. So the position of chief PNP is vacant. Although the rank is not vacated yet. So even if General Nartatez is appointed as chief PNP full time, he can still be chief PNP with [a] three-star rank, there’s no problem with that. That’s my point,” dagdag niya.
Binigyang-diin niya na walang legal na hadlang para magtalaga ng three-star police general para maging permanenteng hepe ng PNP.
Batay sa Section 29 ng DILG Act of 1990, “the head of the PNP with the rank director general (now called police general) shall have the position title of Chief of the PNP.”
Si Torre ay aabot sa edad ng pagreretiro sa Marso 11, 2027, habang si Nartatez sa Marso 19, 2027.
Si Torre ay na-relieve bilang PNP chief noong Agosto 25, batay sa liham na nilagdaan ng noon ay executive secretary na si Lucas Bersamin.
Nauna nang sinabi ni Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla na isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit natanggal si Torre sa kanyang puwesto bilang PNP chief ay ang kanyang pagsuway sa utos ng NAPOLCOM sa reassignment ng mga pangunahing opisyal. RNT/MND
