By AARON RECUENCO
The police general who was accused of grabbing the cellular phone of a journalist covering the “traslacion” in Manila last January was named as the director of the Philippine National Police Health Service in the latest revamp of senior officers in the police organization.
Police Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan, formerly the No. 2 man of the National Capital Region Police Office, will replace Police Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Olay who was transferred to the Metro Manila police to assume the post vacated by Bathan.
Bathan figured in a controversy last January when he grabbed the cellular phone of GMA-7 reporter Jun Veneracion who was then using the gadget to take a video clip of the confrontation between a group of policemen and devotees.
Bathan later returned the phone and apologized but he was intensely criticized in the social media over the incident.
Police Brig. Gen. Rex dela Rosa was transferred to the Directorate for Research and Development while the post that he vacated as director of the Finance Service was assumed by Police Col. Jose Nartatez Jr.
Police Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay is now the director of the Eastern Police District, replacing Brig. Gen. Johnson Almaza who has retired.
Police Col. George Almaden was named as the acting director of the Legal Service.
Police Major Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson was designated as the head of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management while Police Brig. Gen. Rolando Hinanay was moved to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.
