Carla P. Gomez

Photo from Nicolai Jalandoni FBWill Vice Mayor Samuel Siote challenge Mayor Niel Lizares for the mayorship of Talisay City in the May 2022 polls?Lizares, who is seeking reelection, said his vice mayoral bet will be Nicolai Jalandoni, a former three-term councilor.The incumbent councilors will also be seeking re-election with him, Lizares said.Lizares said he heard Siote is thinking of running for mayor but they will not know until he files his certificate of candidacy (COC).He also said the name of former Talisay Mayor Eric Saratan is being floated as the possible running mate of Siote. He doubts Saratan will run for vice mayor, they will know when COCs are filed in October, Lizares said.Siote, a member of the United Negros Alliance (UNegA), said he has not announce...

Former Bacolod Rep. John Orola Jr. said on Thursday, September 2, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan meeting in Negros Occidental on September 4, is postponed until after the holding of the PDP Laban Convention in Manila on September 8.Orola, a former PDP-Laban member and the liaison of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing group in Negros Occidental, said the holding of the convention is in compliance with the Comelec requirements and policy.The rift between the PDP Laban Cusi wing and the Pimentel wing had to be resolved first before the holding of the party consultation in the province of Negros Occidental, he said.Orola, who is being endorsed by certain groups to run for governor of Negros Occidental, said that he has not committed yet to run as there are many factors to be ...

The man who was beheaded in Bacolod City Tuesday night was facing illegal possession of drugs raps and had just been released from jail on bail, PMaj. Ramel Sarona, Police Station 1 chief, said Wednesday, September 1.He was identified as Glen Paul Bautista Castillo, 42, of General Trias, Cavite.Castillo had been living at Deca Homes in Barangay Cabug, Bacolod City, with his live-in partner Analie dela Cruz Baldevieso, 36. They were arrested in a police buy bust operation at their house on August 21, Sarona said.Baldevieso was charged for the sale of drugs that is a non-bailable offense, while Castillo was facing illegal possession of drugs raps and was able to post bail for his temporary liberty on Friday, August 27, Sarona said.Castilo was picked up at his house by the men...

A family of eight tested positive for COVID-19 in Barangay, Sum-ag, Bacolod City, and one member may have been hit with the Delta variant, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy for medical data and analysis, said Wednesday, September 1.A female health care worker at a hospital tested positive for COVID-19 and seven members of her family were also found positive for the virus.One member who works at a computer store has a cycle threshold of 15.07 and is suspected to have been hit by the Delta variant, he said.His specimen will be sent to the Philippine Genome Center for testing, Sorongon said.Earlier a family of 20 also tested positive for COVID-19 in Barangay Singcang-Airport, and the specimen of one was sent to the Philippine Genome Center for variant test...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has issued an executive order extending the duration of the General Community Quarantine over Negros Occidental until September 30.Lacson, in Executive Order 21-43 Series of 2021 released Wednesday, September 1, reiterated that entertainment and recreational venues, amusement parks, fairs, playgrounds, kiddie rides, traditional cockfighting and cockpits will remain closed during the duration of GCQ.Curfew in Negros Occidental will remain from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., he added.The governor said more stringent travel protocols for inbound travelers and mass gatherings at 30 percent will remain in place to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant in the province.Mandatory registration of all travelers to Negros Occidental to the Safe, Swift and Smart ...

Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer on Wednesday, September 1, thanked the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) and Love Negros mayors who have aired their support for him and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.Several mayors have officially aired their support for the re-election bids of Ferrer and Lacson in the 2022 polls.There are many more mayors who are set to issue similar statements of support, Ferrer said.He pointed out that UNegA and Love Negros remain united.On the possibility of former Bacolod Rep. John Orola’s running for governor, Ferrer said he is a family friend and he respects the decision of those who want to run.As of now that is just all talk, he will comment on the matter if Orola files a certificate of candidacy for governor, Ferrer added.*

A man was beheaded at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, August 31, in the same spot where a policeman was shot dead at Rosario Street, Barangay 38, Bacolod City, on Sunday, PMaj. Ramel Sarona, Police Station 1 chief, said.A head was found soon after in Purok Sigay, Barangay 2, Bacolod City.The police are determining if the head belongs to the headless body found in Barangay 38, Sarona said.A message, on a cardboard beside the headless body, said “Bayad sa utang!!! Interest palang…Capital preparar para suma total!!! Halong Bacolod (Payment for a debt!!!This is just the interest …prepare capital for the total!!! Be careful Bacolod).”Witnesses said two vehicles with about eight persons on board arrived at Rosario Street and unloaded what appeared to be the body of a dead unidentified m...

A fire destroys 60 houses in San Carlos City Tuesday, August 31.*DRRMO photoA fire destroyed 60 houses in Zone 2, Brgy 6 (Parola) of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, at 11:04 a.m. Tuesday, August 31.They are still determining the number of damaged houses, Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., San Carlos City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head, said.He said their initial report as of Tuesday evening showed that 60 houses were destroyed affecting 80 families with 320 members. There were no casualties.The fire was placed under control at 12:12 p.m. and put out 12:53 p.m., he said.The cause of the fire is still being determined.The fire victims were temporarily evacuated to the Barangay 6 Gym and later transferred to the Regional Evacuation Center in Barangay 2 of Sa...