Carla P. Gomez

Two Bacolod residents were sentenced to life imprisonment for the illegal sale of shabu, while a mechanic was acquitted on Friday, May 21.Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier of the Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 52 sentenced Joy Fernandez Tornilla and Roel Paciño Illustrisimo to life imprisonment after finding them guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and acquitted Roy Gonzales Guzon.Tornilla was apprehend for selling .0089 gram of shabu for P300 to a police poseur buyer at Purok Kingfisher A, Barangay 16, Bacolod, on Oct. 19, 2019 for which the judge sentenced her to life imprisonment and to pay a fine of P500,000.On her arrest seven more sachets of shabu weighing .8119 gram, and an improvised tooter were recovered f...

The House Committee on Appropriations approved the Bayanihan 3 bill, a stimulus to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Friday morning, May 21, Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said.“This brings the bill one step closer to fruition…It is a crucial step for the passage of this comprehensive lifeline measure,” said Benitez, who is chairman of the Bayanihan to Arise as One bill, also known as Bayanihan 3, technical working group.The P405.6 billion Bayanihan 3 when approved into law will provide P2,000 in assistance to all Filipinos, aid to families via the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and wage subsidies for MSMEs, Benitez said.It will also provide unemployment assistance via the Department of Labor and Employment, nutrition for child...

San Carlos PIO photoMayor Renato Gustilo issued an executive order Friday, May 21, restricting travel through the port of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental to essential business, to curb the rise in COVID-19 cases.Gustilo in Executive Order No. 87 Series of 2021 set the guidelines for inbound and outbound essential travel through the port of San Carlos.Essential travel allowed through the port of San Carlos are the transport of rolling cargoes, government Authorized Persons Outside of Residence on official trips, work-related travel of essential workers, medical or patient travel, and other essential travel as determined by the EOC.Returning residents will be allowed to pass through the port of San Carlos if there is prior Local Government Unit coordination and they are ...

Talisay PIO photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said if the drop in active COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental hits 1,000 he will consider gradually reducing the curfew hours of the province.Curfew in Negros Occidental is from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. but if the cases drop it could start at 9 p.m., and then 10 p.m., he said on Thursday, May 20.The active COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental on Thursday were at 1,456.The COVID-19 “epidemic wave” that hit Negros Occidental starting mid-April is now under control, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday.Diaz said the COVID-19 active cases in Negros Occidental that soared above 2,000 from April 15 to May 14 are now going down.Lacson also said he is leaving the decision on reopening resorts and beaches to the town and ci...

Carla sent Yesterday at 11:03 PM Amity volunteers assist in the mass vaccination drive versus Covid-19 of Bacolod City at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central.*The Bacolod Emergency Operations Center has began using Sinovac vaccines at its mass vaccination sites with the near depletion of its AstraZeneca supply, City Administrator Em Ang said Thursday, May 20.There are only a few of the 19,420 doses of AstraZenca vaccines left so they started using the 3,000 Sinovac vaccines that arrived this week at their mall vaccination sites on Thursday, said Ang, who is also EOC executive director.There were 3,644 Bacolod residents who were vaccinated at 12 sites Thursday, she said.Vaccinated at Ayala Malls Capitol Central were 676, SMX Convention Center - 285, Andres Bonifacio Elementary ...

Richard Malihan photoThere were 221 Negros Occidental provincial government employees who were vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City Thursday, May 20.The inoculation of five other employees under the Barangay Kapitolyo Vaccination Program was deferred because they had very high blood pressure, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said.They were not allowed to leave the vaccination venue until their blood pressure went down and they were advised to go to their doctors for checkups, Tumimbang said.Tumimbang said 161 employees received AstraZeneca jabs and 60 had Sinovac.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is thankful to the Capitol employees who showed up and took the opportunity to be vaccinated.The vaccinatio...

Ensign Janrey Cabanero Artus, who graduated at the top of his class at the Philippine Military Academy, was given a hero’s welcome on his return to his hometown San Enrique Thursday, May 20.*Romeo Subaldo photoA San Enrique, Negros Occidental, resident who graduated at the top of his class at the Philippine Military Academy was given a hero’s welcome on his return to his hometown Thursday, May 20.Ensign Janrey Cabanero Artus, 25, graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian of the PMA Mandirigmang Samahan ng Lakas na Sandigan ng Bayan (Masaligan) Class of 2021 in May.Crowds gathered to cheer as Artus’ motorcade drove through the streets of San Enrique followed by a program at the town hall.Mayor Jilson Tubillara said they gave Artus of Barangay Guintorilan, San Enrique, a ca...

The Commission on Elections in Negros Occidental on Thursday, May 20, released a list of satellite registration sites in three cities and six towns in Negros Occidental for May and June.The satellite registration will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at designated areas, COMELEC provincial supervisor Ma. Fatima Aspan said Thursday, May 20.Satellite registration in Calatrava is set at the Lalong basketball court on May 21, in Cadiz City at the Celestino Villacin public plaza on May 22, in Sagay City at the barangay halls of Colona Divina on May 21 and Campo Santiago on May 22;In Pontevedra at the barangay halls of San Isidro on May 22 and Pandan on May 29, in San Enrique at the barangay halls of Tabao Rizal on May 28 and Tabao Baybay on June 4, in Kabankalan City at the Tagukon bar...