ICPO chief says no word from higher HQ, Treñas on relief yarn

By Jennifer P. Rendon

As a good soldier, he will follow orders.

Thus said Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Colonel Joeresty Coronica amid reports that there might be a shake-up in the ICPO leadership.

The reports apparently alluded to Coronica himself and his subordinate commander Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr., the concurrent chief of the ICPO City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) and City Intelligence Unit.

But the city police chief said he has not received any word from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 or even from Mayor Jerry Treñas regarding his stint.

“I’m here to serve. If I will be reassigned, I’m willing to leave my post anytime,” he said.

Last week, Treñas was quoted to have said that he’s satisfied with Coronica’s performance.

But nonetheless, Coronica said he had a talk with the city chief executive.

“I also told Mayor Treñas that if I’m already a baggage, he could just tell me anytime,” he said.

Coronica asserted that he has a good relationship with Treñas, whom he said had been supportive of his leadership even from the start.

But while there was no apparent problem with Treñas and the PNP’s higher headquarters, he admitted that there are some quarters that might have an issue with him.

“But as they say, you can’t please everybody,” he said.

When asked what could have triggered some people to want to see him out of ICPO,  “Maybe I stepped on someone. It could also be due to our relentless campaign against illegal drugs,” Coronica said.

Nonetheless, she said that he could go any time since relief and reassignment are nothing but constant in the police organization.