The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has dismissed allegations that the sudden removal of Gen. Nicolas Torre III from his position as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) was related to his reported resistance to an P8-billion firearms procurement plan. A recent report claimed Torre was relieved after refusing Interior Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla’s directive to acquire 80,000 assault rifles for the PNP’s 228,000 personnel.

In response, the DILG categorically denied the report but acknowledged that Secretary Remulla and Gen. Torre had discussed the proposed acquisition. The department emphasized that Remulla had merely requested Torre to evaluate the procurement based on the PNP’s "operational necessity."

"This claim is false... There was no directive to purchase (the firearms)," the DILG stated in a press release issued shortly after the report surfaced. The department further clarified that any such procurement would require congressional approval, as the firearms were not included in the National Expenditure Program. Since taking office, Remulla has neither facilitated nor endorsed any budget insertions through Congress.

Additionally, the DILG noted that during the PNP’s anniversary event on August 12, Gen. Torre expressed to Secretary Remulla his view that the firearms purchase was unnecessary—a position the secretary agreed with.

Secretary Remulla also asserted that there was no personal ill will towards Torre, who previously gained national recognition for leading the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte under an International Criminal Court-issued warrant.

The report also mentioned that Gen. Torre’s predecessor, Gen. Rommel Marbil, was reportedly sidelined during a high-profile rescue operation of an abducted Chinese student and the investigation into the kidnapping and murder of businessman Anson Que. According to sources, these operations were directed by Remulla and then-deputy, now acting PNP chief, Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., without informing Marbil.