Baste’s tirades vs Davao City top cop anger PNPA graduates

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s threat to slap Police Regional Office 11 director Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III has angered the graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

The graduates, collectively called the Lakan Community, are rallying behind Torre, a member of the PNPA Tagapaglunsad Class of 1993, against Duterte’s tirades.

In a statement, the Lakan Community yesterday lambasted a “powerful politician” in Davao City for his verbal attacks against Torre.

“Together, we condemn all forms of bullying, harassment and abuse, and we are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can feel respected and supported,” the group of graduates said.

While they did not identify the politician, Duterte earlier threatened to slap Torre, whom he also called a professional liar after the police general reshuffled PNP personnel in Davao City allegedly without the mayor’s knowledge.

Mimicking his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for tirades against his opponents, the mayor denied Torre’s statement that the crime statistics of the Davao police on their blotters had been manipulated to show that the crime rate in the city is low.

In response, Torre ordered the administrative relief of 100 police officers assigned in Davao City.

He is also leading the manhunt against Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy, an ally of the Duterte family, who is wanted for child abuse and qualified human trafficking cases.

For the Lakan Community, Duterte’s mistreatment of a ranking police official, who is just doing his job to reform the police force in Davao City, is troubling.

The PNPA graduates vowed that they are solidly behind Torre, whom they said is a valued member of their community.