PNP general, ‘man of honor’ Mike Coronel passes away
RETIRED General Miguel “Mike” R. Coronel, a bemedaled military and police general who became known as the only official who made true his promise he will resign as Central Luzon police director should he fail to stop “jueteng” in the region within six months, passed away last week at the age of 78.
A member of Philippine Military Academy “Magiting” Class of 1990, Coronel ‘s remains now lies in wake at the Philippine National Police Mortuary in Camp Crame.
A necrological service to be attended by his family, classmates, other relatives and friends was held in his honor on Thursday afternoon ahead of the departure honors for him today.
Coronel, who died of pneumonia, was a commissioner of the National Police Commission during the former Macapagal-Arroyo administration.
He retired in 2002 as PNP Director for Operations after helping his mistah, then PNP chief, Gen. Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. in supervising all police activities concerning operations, employment and deployment of personnel nationwide.
After retiring from the police service, he joined the National Drug Law Enforcement and Prevention Coordinating Center, which is the forerunner of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and later became a Napolcom Commissioner during the term of Ronaldo V. Puno as Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary and concurrent Napolcom chairman.
Coronel rose to national prominence when, shortly after being designated as Police Regional Office 3 director in Central Luzon in the late 90s vowed he will resign his post if he will fail to stop “jueteng” operations in the region within six months.
He did exactly what he had promised and resigned his post with his head up high six months after, earning him accolades for his “sense of delicadeza and Palabra de Honor.”
Other key PNP positions he held were was as Western Visayas police director, PNP Director for Logistics in 1999, and as Executive Director of the Dangerous Drugs Board.
Coronel commanded the Aklan, Iloilo and Negros Occidental PC/INP Commands during his younger days when the New People’s Army still had a considerable presence and influence in the country.
His combat experience later prompted him to write the Pro-Democracy People’s War , a 768-page book in 1991.
Coronel, who, after retirement devoted the rest of his life to Mama Mary, left his United States-based wife Winifreda and children Vanessa and Mark.
