• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Outgoing Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director PCol. Joeresty Coronica is hopeful that the city’s police force will soon be upgraded to Type A status, a move that would expand the current number of police stations from 10, with an additional three to five stations.
Coronica said the proposal has already received an official endorsement from Mayor Greg Gasataya, Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), and is already submitted to the Camp Crame – Philippine National Police National Headquarters.
Under the Type A classification, Bacolod would be authorized to establish 20 police stations, with the initial expansion targeting the creation of additional stations, specifically in the Barangays of Estefania, Banago, and Vista Alegre.
Coronica said that a new coastal road will soon link the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge to Brgy. Banago, and a lot has been donated for Police Station 12 in Brgy. Estefania, while Brgy. Vista Alegre is also identified as a strategic site for a future station to support its rapid growth.
Aside from the additional expansion, they also proposed to transform the BCPO from a headquarters into a camp, which will be named after Dr. Antonio Lizares.
In addition, Coronica confirmed that he is currently waiting for his formal reassignment order from the PRO-NIR.
PRO-NIR Director Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay has already submitted a shortlist of five candidates to Gasataya, who has 15 days to select the next BCPO chief.
Coronica, who is up for promotion, noted that his transfer is a standard step for career development after serving as a city director in both Iloilo and Bacolod for a combined total of nearly three years.*
