The new Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director said he has ordered a deeper investigation into persons collecting sensitive information, which could pose a threat to national security.
PCol. Joeresty Coronica, who assumed his post as BCPO director on Wednesday, held a press conference on Friday, July 26, where he outlined his priorities.
He said among his priorities is to determine the motive of a Chinese-looking businesswoman in collecting information from government issued identification cards and driver’s licenses of Bacolod residents for a fee.
“We want to know what the information is used for”, Coronica said, adding that they have not discounted the possibility that a syndicate is behind such operations.
They are investigating the background of the businesswoman who says she owns two stores in Bacolod and one in La Carlota, he said.
He said the information taken from the identification cards could be used for cybercrimes.
Many crimes are committed online, Coronica said, pointing out that when he was Iloilo City police director 17 Chinese nationals were arrested for running a cybersex hub.
Coronica said that under his watch the BCPO will conduct a relentless campaign against illegal drugs, investigate recent killings, act on unsolved crimes, and go after robbers and vandals responsible for the proliferation of graffiti in Bacolod.
He said any reshuffling of police officers in the city will be done after he conducts an assessment so the right person can be placed in the right position.
Bacolod needs more policemen as it only has one cop for every 600 residents, which ideally should be one to 500, he said.
Coronica, who is from Bacolod City, was also assigned at the BCPO from 2005 to 2007 as Investigation and Intelligence Branch OIC, and chief of police stations 1 and 3.*