The title of a video on YouTube is clickbait claiming that former Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III is the new secretary of the Department of Justice. This is not supported by the video itself and is false.
The erroneous video, published on Aug. 26, bore the title: “TORRE EX-PNP CHIEF, NEW DOJ SECRETARY”
The DOJ’s official website shows that Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla remains secretary of the department. There has also been no news or announcement from Malacanang or DOJ about Torre replacing Remulla.
While the video’s title declared that Torre has been appointed to the DOJ, the vlogger provided no evidence to support this. The person in the video merely speculated that Boying Remulla, who is seeking the Ombudsman post, would “leave” his position and that Torre would likely replace him as DOJ chief.
Members of the cabinet – the Justice Secretary included – are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Commission on Appointments, under Article VII, Sec. 16 of the 1987 Constitution.
As of Aug. 28, the most recent confirmed appointments published by the CA on its website were in the third session of the 19th Congress. This list does not include any appointments in the DOJ. Remulla’s appointment as Justice chief was confirmed by the CA on Sept. 14, 2022.
The spurious video emerged shortly after Torre ended his 85-day tenure, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order for his relief as PNP chief, according to a document dated Aug. 25. The next day, Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. was named PNP officer-in-charge.
In an Aug. 26 press conference, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that among the factors involved in Torre’s relief was his supposed defiance of the National Police Commission’s reversal of his order reshuffling senior police officials, including Nartatez – the second highest official in the PNP – whom Torre reassigned to Mindanao.
The DILG chief also said that “[the president] is thinking of offering a position to the former PNP chief.” In an interview published on GMA Integrated News program 24 Oras, the DILG chief said the position “has something to do with anti-corruption.”
In a separate press briefing the following day, Palace press officer Claire Castro confirmed that a new post was being offered to Torre but no further details were disclosed.
Posted by YouTube channel Jojo De Guzman KonekTV (created on March 2, 2012), the inaccurate video has so far garnered 53,374 views, 2,700 reactions, and 869 comments.
