Quenery steps out of PRO-7, to join comptrollership division in Crame

CEBU, Philippines — Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 outgoing director Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery formally bade goodbye to his team, as he also wished for his successor to help in the growth of each cop.

"Take care of our policemen, empower them.  They have so many skills and talents that they can utilize.  I hope I have given you the necessary motivation and inspiration, and perhaps I left a mark. I hope you will not view your work as a job, but as a vocation," Quenery said during a despedida party.

Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, who heads the crime laboratory at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, will replace Quenery.

Quenery, for his part, will be assigned as the Directorate for Comptrollership starting today.

"It's a new job for me. I was a director for health service, director of aviation, now I will be at the comptrollership division and talagang bago din sa akin.  It's a new challenge," he said.

He added that having an experience in the comptrollership division, a unit that deals with logistics and finances, will be an integral part of increasing efficacy for performance governance system.

This division is also tasked to rank police units, based on efficiency to combat crimes and enforce laws.

"Sa lahat ng assignment ko, I've always been with operations or intelligence, wala akong exposure sa financial management and statistical management.  That's what I want to see because that is an integral part of our performance governance system - that is the bedrock," he said.

Quenery said that, in his short stint as a director, he brought down the index crime at 35.8 percent lower compared to the same period last year.

Index crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, theft and robbery, carnapping and cattle-rustling.

"Pinakamalaking accomplishment ko is our regional office has brought down index crime by as low as 35.8 percent for the first quarter, compared to the first quarter of last year," he said.

During his speech, Quenery appreciated the media for their professionalism and reminded the incoming director, provincial and city commanders to always engage in the queries of the press.

"I have seen a very professional media.  What you say is what you read. I just always say what I'd like to say, it's always printed, it's always announced," he said. (FREEMAN)