Davao City acting mayor Baste Duterte links General Torre's ouster to anti-Duterte campaign

• Sebastian "Baste" Duterte commented on the relief of Gen. Nicolas Torre III as PNP Chief, calling it a demotion

• Duterte suggested the relief was due to "internal conflict" within the current administration

• He also claimed that any new PNP Chief would have orders to "target" the Duterte family and their supporters

• The statements were made during a family visit to former President Rodrigo Duterte at the ICC detention center in The Hague

In a notable public statement, Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, the acting mayor of Davao City, weighed in on the sudden relief of Police General Nicolas Torre III as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Speaking from The Hague where he and his siblings are visiting their detained father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, the younger Duterte offered his perspective on the leadership change.

According to Duterte, Torre's removal from the PNP's top position amounts to a significant demotion. "If you have already become the chief PNP, he is really demoted. There's no higher position than that in the police force," Duterte stated.

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He suggested that Torre's ouster could be the result of "internal conflict" within the current administration, rather than a diversionary tactic related to other issues.

This statement hints at deeper political tensions at play, though Malacañang has not provided a clear reason for the relief.

The acting mayor also used the opportunity to voice his distrust of any potential successor to the PNP chief position.

He expressed a belief that any new appointee would be given orders to "target" the Duterte family and their supporters.

"For sure, if a new chief PNP is appointed, there's an order to go after us. That's always the case. You don't become chief PNP unless you do something foolish against us Dutertes and our supporters," he said.

The dynamic between the Duterte family and former PNP chief Torre has been contentious for some time.

Torre, who was appointed in June, had a very brief and controversial tenure. He was at the helm of the force during the arrest of former President Duterte and his ally, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, in March 2025.

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Torre also gained public attention for accepting a boxing match challenge from Baste Duterte, though the match never materialized.

Duterte's remarks came during a visit to his father, the former president, who is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention center in The Hague.

The entire Duterte family, including Vice President Sara Duterte, Paolo Duterte, and Veronica Duterte, were reportedly in the Netherlands at the request of their father.

The former president faces charges of crimes against humanity in connection with his administration's bloody war on drug5.

The strong reaction from Baste Duterte highlights the political and institutional rivalries at play, connecting the leadership shakeup in the PNP to the broader conflict between the current administration and the Duterte family.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable stories that people could easily understand and relate in their lives.

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In other news, a computer science student, JD Satsatin, created a mobile app called "Maglalaba Ba?" to help people with laundry planning. The app was inspired by his grandmother's struggle to find the right time to dry clothes to avoid sudden rain showers. The app is designed to be user-friendly, using simple dialogues and drawings instead of complex weather data. It provides recommendations based on weather, temperature, and humidity, helping users determine the best time to do laundry to ensure clothes dry properly.

Still in other news, nineteen Central Mindanao Colleges students suffered skin burns during a reception activity in Kidapawan City on August 24. Police said seniors sprayed a mixture of vinegar, chili, and battery solution on interns after a series of physical exercises. The college dean admitted he inspected the event but was unaware harmful chemicals had been hidden by students. Five suspects have been identified and may face charges under the Anti-Hazing Law.

Source: KAMI.com.gh