PNP chief says bout set, but ‘Baste’ now has demands
Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III showed off his boxing chops before TV cameras on Thursday morning, but his “challenger,” acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, suddenly set conditions before they could meet in the ring.
The 12-round bout has been set at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila for Sunday, the Philippine National Police chief said after letting journalists watch his “pre-fight” training.
But Duterte, who challenged Torre to a fistfight in a podcast last Sunday, now wants something to happen first: a drug test for all government officials, including President Marcos.
Torre showed up in sports attire at the PNP gym and hit the mitts with a trainer, as though offering his version of a Manny Pacquiao conditioning workout.
Ring is ready
“The Rizal Memorial Coliseum is already set. A ring is already being set up there for Sunday,” he told reporters in Camp Crame.
Torre on Wednesday accepted Duterte’s dare, but said it should be a charity match for the benefit of recent flood victims. He also suggested tapping Pacquiao as the referee.
Duterte’s supporters earlier posted a Facebook video of him also training for the match.
But in a video posted on Thursday afternoon, the son of former President Rodrigo Duterte said: “Talk to your master, the President. Let him say that all elected officials should undergo a hair follicle drug test, then I will accept that charity event of yours. No problem.”
“Don’t worry, Torre, because I’ve long wanted to beat up a monkey,” he added. “If you really want a fight, why make it about charity? Why make it about the flood in Metro Manila?”
‘Sponsors’ secured
As to the possibility of Duterte ultimately backing out, Torre said: “It’s up to him. Whether he shows up or not, we already have sponsors who said they were donating relief goods.’’
It was the latest episode in the seething public grudge between the Duterte scion and the top PNP official, who earlier served as Davao police chief.
It started when Torre, then Davao Region police director, reassigned 19 police station commanders loyal to the elder Duterte in July 2024. Torre also led the team that helped the Interpol serve the International Criminal Court arrest warrant on the former president in March.
