Some members of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) alumni are rallying behind Davao Police Regional Office (PRO-11) director Brig. Gen. Nicolar Torre III amid an alleged public feud with Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte.

The PNPA Lakan Community on Sunday accused the mayor of “bullying” Torre over the police chief’s decision to reshuffle station commanders last month due to alleged manipulated crime statistics.

Torre has maintained that some police stations underreported crime incidents to make Davao appear safer than it actually is.

However, the Davao City mayor has vehemently denied the allegations, accusing Torre of lying.

The police chief’s move to replace station commanders prompted Duterte to publicly criticize him, even threatening to slap him.

The PNPA alumni group called on the public to support Torre and condemned the mayor’s behavior.

“We value and uphold principles of respect, kindness, and empathy towards one another,” said the PNPA Lakan Community in a statement. “We should make him feel that he is not alone in this struggle.”

“Our well-being and dignity are of utmost importance to us, and we are here to offer him unwavering support, understanding, and compassion. He is a valued member of our community, and his courage in facing this adversity inspires us all,” the manifesto of support read.