Baguio City, trade fair

LUCENA CITY—The Quezon police official who got involved in an alleged harassment case with a senior reporter here last January has been assigned to head the Lucena police station.

In a simple turnover ceremony held Wednesday at the local police station, Supt. Alex Orfanel transferred the leadership of the city police to Supt. Ramon Balauag, former head of the Quezon police intelligence section.

Orfanel has been assigned to the Quezon police provincial office as deputy to Senior Supt. Erickson Velasquez, Quezon police chief.

The ceremony, presided over by Supt. Benigno Cabillo, deputy police provincial director for administration, was witnessed by members of the Lucena police force, local officials and media.

Balauag took over the command from Orfanel who had served as local chief of police for the past 10 months in the heat of the current mayoral dispute between incumbent Lucena Mayor Barbara Ruby Talaga and Vice Mayor Roderick Alcala.

In a decision by the Commission on Elections last week, the poll body ruled that the election and proclamation of Talaga in last year’s election was illegal and ordered the city mayor to vacate her post in favor of Alcala.

Talaga appealed her case to the Supreme Court where it is now pending.

Last January, dzMM reporter and local weekly publisher Johnny Glorioso accused Balauag of physical harassment which resulted in Balauag’s relief.