Mayor Jerry P. Treñas is showing Iloilo City how it is to flex a muscle and use or maybe abuse the power bestowed on him by the electorate who voted for him. He has been taking an offensive stance especially among those whom he believed have supported his brother in law, former mayor Joe Espinosa III.

At first look, it is easy to understand where he is coming from. The bitter political fight left him wounded and hurt. In fact, he cried and said during a radio interview how for the first time in his political career he was left devastated. Jerry is only human and by all means must be accorded the understanding and fair treatment towards his own feelings.

However, his recent acts towards his fellow government workers whom he suspected of helping, supporting and being loyal to Espinosa must be called out as they have gone beyond normal.

He lashed out, publicly threatened and named several names to include lowly employees and department heads whom he accused of campaigning for Espinosa.

With utmost respect to the pending legal proceedings that some has resorted to, the pressure that Treñas is applying on these people is now equivalent to vendictiveness. He has become a monster rather than a leader. 

Election is now a thing of the past. The challenge for Treñas if he treats his office as an opportunity to show real leadership is how to win the confidence of those whom he believed have turned their back against him last political season. A gallant leader will not resort to threats and intimidations or demand payment for past favors done. 

Recently, he made mention of a sex scandal that circulated on the social media years ago involving a city official whom he accused of supporting Espinosa. He claimed that he helped the said official before and yet…

Yet what? A gentleman and a true leader will never ask a person in need to repay a favor in exchange of trust. A real leader will unite his divided people even if it means sacrificing his personal emotions.

In the case of former PESO Manager Kooky Benitez, Treñas claimed that it was he who approved the regularization of Benitez. She was immediately relieved by Treñas because he was told that Benitez actively campaigned for Espinosa by attending the weekly “Pag-ulikid,” a barangay immersion program of the former administration.

Treñas a lawyer must realize that Benitez was only following orders. Imagine what will happen if Treñas will order Melchor Tan to join him weekly to attend to official functions and Tan will refuse.

Unlike Dr. Bernard Caspe, Joe Marie Esteral and Juncae Manikan who are vocal about their protests on the threats of Treñas, the poor Kooky Benitez just went to the tomb of her husband, poured all her heartaches and cried hard. 

Ma. Elena “Kooky” Antenor Cruz-Benitez is the widow of the late Lt. Col. Angel Benitez who was ambushed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2008 at Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte. The least Jerry Treñas can afford to a soldier who died fighting for this country is not necessarily compassion to his wife but critical understanding of where she was standing and why she needed to do her job.

But Treñas, showing political immaturity and callousness chose not to value honor and fair treatment. He decided to fire Kooky as head of PESO. 

The leadership of Jerry Treñas today is million of miles different from the leadership of Jerry Treñas years back. He has become as vindictive as the late Raul Gonzales and President Rodrigo Duterte today.  

Good thing though, Jerry now talks a lot and study less.