Carla P. Gomez

The arrest of a ranking rebel leader and the killing of her deputy in Ilog, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday is a big blow to the New People’s Army in Negros Occidental, Col. Ryan Manongdo, 6th Special Action Force Battalion commander, said Wednesday, September 15.Nilda Natander Bertolano, 56, secretary of the NPA Southwest Front, was injured and her deputy Christian Vargas, alias Ka Hans, was killed in an encounter with Special Action Force troopers in Sitio Balik-Balik, Brgy. Tabu, Ilog, Negros Occidental, he said.Bertolano spent more than half of her life as a member of the rebel group, he said.The one hour and ten-minute gunbattle resulted in the death of four rebels, injury of two and the arrest of one, he said.One of the fatalities was identified as Joel Fundador while a...

Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who have formally announced their presidential and vice presidential candidacies in the 2022 elections, will be in Negros Occidental on Thursday, September 16.They will be accompanied by former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, said Clint Aranas, former president of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and a Negrense.They are going around the country to look at the state of the nation and to make themselves available for questions, said Aranas, who is organizing their visit.*

Top leaders of the Metro 3rd Asenso team led by Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez met with key Abanse Negrense officials led by Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to firm up the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance coalition in the third district of Negros Occidental Wednesday night, September 15.They also conveyed Asenso’s full support for the tandem of Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer in the 2022 polls, and the reelection bids of board members Manuel Frederick Ko and Andrew Montelibano.Also endorsed were the reelection bids of Benitez as congressman of the third district and Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano, and Francis Frederick “Wantan” Palanca as the second nominee.The mayors and vice mayors of Victorias, EB Magalona, Silay, Talisay and Murcia also...

Capitol photoLove Negros officials are set to meet on Saturday, September 18, in preparation for the filing of the certificates of candidacy (COCs) in October, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Wednesday, September 15.It will be a small gathering of Love Negros officials at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, he said.The United Negros Alliance is also set to hold a virtual meeting with its members on Saturday, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, UNegA president, said Tuesday.Lacson said it is a coincidence that Love Negros and UNegA members, who are in an alliance, will be holding their separate meetings on the same day.The governor said he has to sit down with UNegA on the plan of Board Member Agustin Ernesto “Tinto” Bascon of Love Negros to run for mayor of Himamaylan City....

Almost all hospitals in Bacolod City were no longer accepting new COVID-19 patients for lack of space and personnel on Tuesday, September 14.Bacolod City had 105 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 1,447 active cases on Tuesday, the Department of Health reported.The Bacolod City government opened two more treatment and monitoring facilities at the Handumanan High School and the Handumanan Elementary School, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy for medical data and analysis, said.The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) announced Tuesday night that it will temporarily suspend admission of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients effective immediately until further notice.“As of this time the emergency room and all hospital wards have reach...

Three New People’s Army rebels were killed and four were injured, including a high raking NPA leader and a policeman, in an encounter in Barangay Tabu, Ilog in Negros Occidental at about 7:20 a.m. Tuesday, PLt. Col. Ryan Manongdo, 6th Special Action Force Battalion commander, said.One surrendered and nine other persons found near the encounter site are being held for questioning, Manongdo said.He identified the injured rebel leader as Nilda Natander Bertolano secretary of the NPA Southwest Front who sustained bullet wounds in the thigh and arm.The injured policeman, who was wearing a bullet proof vest, is out of danger, Manongdo said.He said his troops and the 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Force Company went to Barangay Tabu, which is a remote area, after receiving infor...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz inspecting the provincial government oxygen plant in Silay City.*Richard Malihan photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government is converting a third hospital into a COVID-19 designated facility, and is increasing its oxygen production, as the number of Negrenses hit by the virus continue to rise, Provincial Administrator Rayfrado Diaz said Tuesday, September 14.They are preparing for a COVID-19 surge with the presence of the Delta variant in the province, he said.Negros Occidental had 2,043 active COVID-19 cases and nine new deaths on Tuesday, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported.The province had 1,534 new COVID-19 cases in the first half of September compared to 1,589 for the entire August...

Two persons were killed in a shooting incident in Purok Lampirong, Barangay 2, Bacolod City, at about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, September 14.Killed was a male identified as alias Chris of Barangay Mansilingan and Lorenza Famoso Prado, alias Loraine, 33, of Victorias City, PMSgt. Abner Tillana Jr., Station 2 investigator on case, said.Killed was a male identified as alias Chris of Barangay Mansilingan and Lorenza Famoso Prado, alias Loraine, 33, of Victorias City, PMSgt. Abner Tillana Jr., Station 2 investigator on case, said.He said alias Chris was shot in the back of his head and died on the spot.Prado, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, died at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital at about 2:44 p.m. Tuesday, Tillana said.The suspect, alias Roland, o...

Six of nine Bacolod residents recently found positive for the Delta variant and their close contacts were negative for COVID-19 on retesting, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy for data and medical analysis, said Tuesday, September 14.Among those who tested negative were a 58-year-old male driver from Barangay Alijis, three from Barangay Villamonte and two from Barangay Mandalagan and their close contacts, he said.The test results of two others from Barangay Mandalagan are not out yet, he said.The lockdown on the homes of those who tested negative were lifted, Sorongon added.One of the nine, a 57-year-old male from Mandalagan, died.There have been 21 Bacolod residents confirmed by the Philippine Genome Center to have been hit by the Delta variant.*

PHO photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government has vaccinated 16.24 percent of its targeted population against COVID-19, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said Tuesday, September 14.He said 218,276 or 11.96 percent of Negros Occidental’s residents have been fully vaccinated and those who have received their first dose are 78,054 or 4.28 percent.Meanwhile, 182,537 Bacolod residents have been vaccinated as of September 12, and 113,286 have been fully inoculated, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy for data and medical analysis, said.Based on the Bacolod City government’s 420,000 target population for vaccination they have covered 27 to 28 percent already, he said.If it is based on the Department of Health target of 377,000 of Bacolo...