SunStar Philippines 
Bersamin letter proves Torre reassignments ‘valid’
A LETTER written by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in 2023 seems to validate the controversial reassignments made by former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Nicolas Torre III, and refuted claims he “overstepped his bounds.” A document obtained by The Manila Times showed that the July 13, 2023 letter, which was addressed to then-interior secretary Benhur Abalos, discussed the National Police Commission’s (Napolcom) resolution recommending the President’s designation of officials to key positions within the PNP. In the letter’s third paragraph, Bersamin specifically stated that “future designations of third-level officials and/or to third-level positions are left to the authority of the PNP Chief, save for designations to third-level positions that would entail promotions to a higher rank which are subject to the confirmation of the Napolcom.” According to a source, Torre made the reshuffle, apparently convinced he was acting according to the prevailing directive. The source also said it is “obvious” that Bersamin — the same person who signed Torres’ relief papers — “gave full control of PNP positioning to the chief” back then. Torre was appointed to the post on May 29, only to relinquish it 85 days later, making him the shortest serving PNP chief in history. Sources in the PNP consider his replacement, Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., to have long been “PNP chief in the making.” Nartatez held several key positions in the PNP, most notably as deputy chief for administration, the second-highest post, at the time of Torre’s appointment. Torre, whose breakthrough achievement was his high-profile arrest of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy and former president Rodrigo Duterte, was said to have “stepped on a lot of toes” when he took charge of the 230,000-strong police force. Nartatez was promptly reassigned by Torre as area police commander of Western Mindanao. He was among the 13 officials shifted by Torre to third-level positions. On Aug. 14, Napolcom issued a resolution nullifying Torre’s reassignments, saying that while the PNP chief can designate, assign and reassign police commissioned officers to third-level positions, it retains the power to review, approve, reverse or modify such acts. Based on Bersamin’s letter, Nartatez’s reassignment did not constitute a promotion, which meant the order had never been superseded. Another notable loophole in the Napolcom memo, aside from reversing the PNP chief’s personnel movement decisions, is its own reassignments. Top police officials and alumni have rallied behind Torre, calling Napolcom’s move as “abusive” and “overturning of a lawful order issued under the Chief PNP’s authority.” Torre is also said to have ruffled feathers after he refused to sign a Request for Endorsement and Budget Support to Congress for an additional P8-billion funding for the acquisition of 80,000 units of 5.56-millimeter assault rifles for the PNP for fiscal year 2026. The justification for the acquisition was the PNP’s takeover of internal security operations from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Torre reportedly refused to sign the request believing that the acquisition is too excessive for a civilian agency like the PNP, a decision that put him at loggerheads with Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla. The Times source said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself “assured” that the July 13 order emanating from his office would be “superseded prospectively,” meaning that all his appointments would remain valid. Torre was said to have taken the President at his word. The sources said Marcos urged Torre to simply follow Napolcom’s memo, but during this time, Remulla was allegedly already recalling Nartatez.
The Manila Times 
Govt monitoring Chinese ‘sleeper agents’ in PH
(UPDATE) THE government is “actively monitoring” the presence of Chinese “sleeper agents” and members of the People’s Liberation Army in the country, Malacañang said Friday. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the statement after Sen. Panfilo Lacson called on concerned government agencies to continue hot pursuit operations against Chinese spies operating in the country. Castro said during a press conference the National Security Council was in close coordination with law enforcement agencies and intelligence units to address the issue of espionage. “We cannot go into specifics for security reasons, but we can assure the public that our security forces are actively monitoring and addressing these threats,” Castro said. She said the government “does not take espionage lightly, and we act swiftly when credible intelligence is verified.” Recent operations have led to arrest of suspected foreign agents, Castro said. Lacson said Chinese citizens have been arrested on suspicion of spying on Malacañang, Palawan province, Makati City, Dumaguete City, near the military general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City and the Commission on Elections office in Manila. During the first hearing of the Senate Committee on National Defense on proposed amendments to the country’s anti-espionage law, Lacson said espionage networks “must be dismantled or at least decimated to a large degree because agents come and go.” Ferdinand Lavin, deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation, told the hearing the bureau has arrested 19 foreigners engaged in suspected espionage in at least six operations. Thirteen of them were Chinese, one a Cambodian and five were Filipinos who served as guides, drivers or aides. Castro also allayed concerns over reports that a Filipino-Chinese businessman had joined the Philippine Coast Guard’s Auxiliary (PCGA) unit, saying he had no access to maritime operations. In another Senate hearing, PCG Capt. Xerxes Fernandez confirmed that at least 36 Chinese had been delisted under the previous administration, while an alleged Filipino-Chinese businessman identified as Joseph Sy was recently removed after rising to the honorary rank of commodore. Fernandez said the PCGA, established as a socio-civic volunteer group, had admitted foreign nationals because no major security threats were perceived at the time. He said the foreign PCGA members slipped past through the vetting process because “they hold documents that can pass off as legal documents.” “But right now, we see that there’s creeping intrusion into our security environment or security infrastructure. That’s why the Philippine Coast Guard is now stepping up its vetting process in accepting Philippine Coast Guard auxiliary members,” Fernandez said. Sy, 60, whose real name is Chen Zhong Zhen, was arrested by immigration agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport shortly after arriving from Hong Kong on Aug. 21. The Bureau of Immigration said Sy was carrying several identification cards showing he was a Filipino, but fingerprint matching showed he was a Chinese citizen who held a long-term visa and an Alien Certificate of Registration ID card. During Friday’s briefing, Castro also rejected China’s accusation that the Philippines was a “troublemaker” in the South China Sea. The Chinese Ministry of Defense made the accusation after the Philippines launched a joint military exercise with Australia at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija. “We’re going to stop China from making its own narrative,” Castro said. “But they cannot also stop us from fighting for our rights based on laws, Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), [the] arbitral ruling, and our being [an] independent country,” she added. As part of Exercise Amphibious Land Operation 2025, Philippine troops employed a self-propelled ATMOS 155-mm battery, while the Australian military demonstrated its M777A2 155-mm howitzers, light armored vehicle, Javelin anti-tank missile launchers, MK47 grenade launchers, M2 QCB machine guns, Blazer 2 sniper rifles, AW50F anti-material rifles and Mag58 general purpose machine guns. More than 3,600 troops from the Philippines, Australia, the United States and Canada are taking part in the exercises that started last Aug. 15. China’s defense ministry earlier warned the Philippines of “consequences” over Manila’s alleged hyping up of incidents, provocations and infringements in the Ayungin Shoal. The Philippines continues to seek defense partnerships with other nations as tensions persist in the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese vessels have repeatedly intruded into Philippine waters, harassed Filipino fishermen and obstructed resupply missions to military outposts. The Marcos administration has strongly asserted the country’s sovereign rights in the area, backed by the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims. Castro also rejected suggestions that the Philippines’ diplomatic stance in the South China Sea showed weakness. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said the Philippines was “allowing” itself to be bullied in the name of diplomacy and that “diplomacy without deterrence is weakness.” Castro said the Marcos administration remained firm in its rule-based approach. She reiterated the President’s remarks that the Philippines was not waging any war but would not retreat from any fight. “Courage is not proven through fistfights, Being diplomatic does not show weakness,” Castro said.
CFO moves office from QC to Pasay
(UPDATE) To bring Philippine emigrant services closer to the airports and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) announced it was moving its main office from Quezon City to Pasay City. Effective Sept. 1, the agency will hold office at the ninth floor of the Nexgen Tower at C-4 Road, EDSA Extension, in Pasay. CFO Secretary Dante Ang II said the move was aimed at bringing services closer to the DFA and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as several foreign embassies located in Pasay. Migrants can now easily access various government services and transactions with foreign posts that are required in the migration process. “Here at CFO, we put our constituents first. We make sure that our primary consideration in big decisions like this is providing greater convenience for Filipino emigrants. We’re always looking to improve our services and how we deliver,” Ang said in a statement. “We’ll do what we can to make it more convenient both for our constituents and our workforce during the transition period. We’re hoping this move leads to more extension offices to make our services more accessible to outbound Filipinos across the country,” he said. The CFO advised preregistered participants of the agency’s Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar, Guidance and Counseling Program, to proceed to the new office. The agency’s office is also closer to the homes and residences of its employees, 70 percent of whom reside in nearby areas, including Parañaque City and the province of Cavite. “Aside from its clear benefits for CFO’s emigrant constituents, the move is also more cost-effective as it translates to a 10 percent decrease in rental fees giving taxpayers their money’s worth. The agency will also now be able to provide more parking spaces for frontline service and visiting stakeholders,” the agency’s statement read. The CFO’s former office was at the 21st floor of the Upperclass Tower on Quezon Avenue.
SC orders comment on petitions vs polls
THE Supreme Court has ordered key government bodies to respond to three petitions questioning the constitutionality of Republic Act (RA) 12232, the newly signed law that defers the December 2025 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) or youth council elections to November 2026, and allows incumbent officials to remain in office in a holdover capacity. In an en banc session, the high court consolidated the cases filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, educator and former congressional candidate John Barry Tayam, and a group of registered voters and youth leaders led by Mystro Yushi Fujii. All three petitions have sought for a temporary restraining order to stop the law’s implementation, and a writ of mandamus directing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to proceed with the December 2025 polls. Macalintal argued that RA 12232 violates the people’s right to suffrage by cancelling a scheduled election without compelling justification. He pointed to the high tribunal’s 2023 ruling in Macalintal v. Comelec, which struck down a similar postponement on the ground that “election fatigue” and budgetary concerns were insufficient reasons to override constitutional guarantees. He also contended that the law unlawfully extends the terms of barangay and youth council officials without a fresh mandate from voters and breaches the “one subject, one title” rule in legislation. Tayam, filing his case pro se, asserted standing as a citizen, taxpayer, and voter. He said the law violates the principle of periodic and genuine elections and disenfranchises prospective SK candidates who may exceed the 18-24 age limit by 2026. Fujii’s group echoed these arguments, describing the holdover clause as a “de facto extension of terms” and invoking both constitutional guarantees and international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Office of the President, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Comelec were named as respondents and directed to file their comments within a non-extendible period of 10 days. Also, the Supreme Court admitted the intervention of the Liga ng Barangay ng Pilipinas and 51 barangay captains who opposed Macalintal’s petition, and required the parties to submit their comments on the intervention within the same period. The legal battle places under scrutiny the recurring practice of deferring Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE), which critics say undermines democratic accountability by prolonging the terms of unelected officials. Since the first synchronized BSKE in 1988, Congress has repeatedly moved the schedule, often citing budgetary constraints or the need to focus on national polls. Between 1988 and 2023, the elections were postponed at least six times, effectively extending the tenure of village and youth leaders well beyond their original three-year mandate. The high court’s eventual ruling in the pending cases is expected to define the limits of congressional power to reschedule local elections and test how strictly its 2023 precedent will be applied against future attempts at postponement.
MMDA prepares for PH hosting of FIVB
MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced Friday that it met with the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) for the Men’s World Championship 2025, which the Philippines will host from Sept. 12-28. MMDA Chairman Don Artes and General Manager Procopio Lipana led the discussions with event organizers, focusing on the agency’s support for the smooth staging of the global tournament. Items of the include traffic management plans, contingency measures, activation of the Multi-Agency Coordinating Center (MACC), deployment of medical and emergency services, weather and flood monitoring, and coordination for transportation of athletes and spectators. Artes said the MMDA would field traffic personnel in key areas to reduce vehicular congestion and ensure the security of players, foreign delegates, and visiting fans. Likewise, Artes said that coordination with local government units and national agencies would be tightened in anticipation of possible challenges during the two-week tournament. The matches will be played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, featuring 32 national teams vying for the world title.
MMDA inks deal with DBM for G-3 program
MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has signed an agreement with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the implementation of the Local Government Support Fund for the Green Green Green (G-3) Program, aimed at developing open spaces in cities across the country. In a statement released on Friday, MMDA Chairman Don Artes announced that the agency and the Metro Manila Council fully support the program, which goes beyond urban greening and beautification. Artes said that the program is about creating, protecting, and ensuring inclusive and safe public spaces for communities under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “The MMDA recognizes that the G-3 program aligns closely with our own mandates on urban renewal and protection, as well as health, sanitation, and pollution control,” Artes said. He added that last year the MMDA allocated additional funds for initiatives such as the Adopt-a-Park project and the Neighborhood Upgrading and Landscaping program. “We remain committed to sustaining these efforts to benefit not only Metro Manila but the entire nation under the Bagong Pilipinas [campaign],” he said. DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman led the ceremonial signing alongside Artes and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling. Various design concepts and environmental principles of the G-3 program, which aim to improve and make public open spaces more accessible nationwide, were also presented during the event last Thursday evening.
‘New NBI chief must be career official’
(UPDATE) THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Retirees and Ex-Employees Association Inc. has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to select the next director from within the bureau’s current leadership. The request, dated Aug. 28, 2025, was sent to Malacañang Palace through Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. This appeal comes following the sudden resignation of NBI Director Jaime Santiago and the subsequent appointment of Department of Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres as acting director. The group’s president, Ricardo Diaz, argued that appointing a permanent director from within the NBI’s ranks is crucial for the bureau’s stability, particularly after the recent leadership changes. Diaz emphasized that this would align with Republic Act 10867, or the National Bureau of Investigation Reorganization and Modernization Act of 2016, which was enacted to professionalize the bureau. The letter specifically endorsed Deputy Director Jose Justo Yap, a certified public accountant-lawyer with 35 years of unbroken service, and Deputy Director Antonio Pagatpat, a lawyer with the same length of service. Diaz described both as esteemed career officials who possess the qualifications to lead the NBI.
Choose Ombudsman with integrity, intelligence, insight – Cayetano
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said on Thursday that the next Ombudsman should possess integrity, intelligence, and insight. Cayetano, the Senate’s representative in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), said these qualities are “vital in detecting corruption at its earliest stages and acting before scandals erupt.” The senator made the remark after interviewing the first batch of Ombudsman applicants, whose screening would run until Sept. 2. Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said the office of the Ombudsman is not a prize but a responsibility. “It’s not a reward. It’s a tool for you to get something done. And, usually, that something is a problem that you can solve.” He stressed the need for vigilance in the selection process, saying the country’s “history of inefficiency, nepotism, and corruption makes it vital to choose wisely.” Cayetano said integrity is important because one’s intelligence would not matter if he or she is corrupt or unreliable. He also said that the Ombudsman should be able to “keep up with the way information spreads instantly in today’s digital world.”
Prompt release of educational aids sought
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go on Wednesday expressed concern over the reported delay in the release of benefits under the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP), a subsidy scheme for students. The senator raised the matter during a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education on issues affecting the education sector. Go bemoaned that many students remain unaware of the assistance available to them through the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd). “We hope the CHEd could look into this matter. Some of the students have already graduated before they were able to receive their [scholarship] grant,” Go said, speaking in Filipino. He added that in some cases, it took one or two years before TDP beneficiaries received their financial aid. Go sought clarification from CHEd on whether the continuity of benefits under the TDP remains intact. He noted that support should be consistent until graduation. “There are many CHEd scholarship programs available to our college students. There’s the Tertiary Education Subsidy, which is merit-based.” He said that CHEd has another program designed to help students who may not necessarily be honor students but are struggling financially to complete their degrees. “There’s the Tulong Dunong Program scholarship which does not require a maintaining grade as long as the student passes [the subjects],” Go said. He added that the student population should be informed of the existence of these subsidies. “We have to promote these scholarships,” Go said. He appealed to fellow senators to work together in supporting scholarship programs, noting the importance of education in uplifting the lives of Filipinos.
Love Knots, August 30, 2025
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