Marchel P. Espina

The P7 million worth of drugs seized.*PRO-6 photoThe police seized P7.561 million worth of drugs in another buy-bust operation in Silay City, Negros Occidental, Sunday night, August 28.Nabbed was 36-year-old Mark Villaran of Antonio Luna Street, Brgy. 1. He was tagged by the police as a high-value drug individual.The suspect sold four plastic sachets of suspected shabu worth P48,000 to a police poseur buyer at the entrance of Mallery 2 Subdivision in Brgy Rizal.During the bust, he yielded 1,112 grams of suspected shabu worth P7,561,600, the buy-bust money, P1,280 in cash believed to be cash proceeds, and drug paraphernalia.Prior to the bust, authorities also recovered two kilos of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P13.668 million at Brgy. Lantad which led to th...

Rescuers trying to revive the drowning victims in Cadiz City.*PCG Cadiz photoAn excursion turned fatal at the Kabilang-Bilangan Reef in Barangay Sicaba, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, after four persons, including two minors, drowned on Sunday, August 28.The victims were on a pumpboat going to the sandbar when a 15-year-old boy fell into the water due to the strong waves.This prompted his mother, 33-year-old Marlyn Aguirre, to jump into the sea to save her son, but she, too, was swept away by the strong current.Their companion - Remymar Ocon, 31, and a 13-year-old boy - also jumped to rescue the two, but they also drowned.Attempts were made to revive the victims at the Cadiz City Emergency Clinic but they didn’t make it.They had five other companions who were also t...

Rescuers help the three persons on board a tricycle that collided with a truck at Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, on Friday, August 26.*Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade photoFive people were killed in separate accidents in Negros Occidental in three days.Killed on Friday, August 26, were 40-year-old Marciano Mahilum Jr., his 17-year-old daughter, whose name was withheld, and brother-in-law, 35-year-old Reynald Porras, of Barangay Matab-ang, Talisay City.The victims were onboard a tricycle driven by Mahilum when it collided with a truck at Barangay Bata, Bacolod City.The tricycle overtook a truck, but it collided with another truck on the opposite lane.On Saturday, August 7, a 13-year-old boy was killed at Hacienda San Jose, Barangay Katilingban, Talisay City.The tricycle d...

The two kilos of suspected shabu estimated to cost P13.668 million.*Silay PNP photoTwo sisters, tagged as high-value drug suspects, were arrested in a buy-bust operation at Brgy. Lantad, Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, August 28, which led to the recovery of P13.668 million worth of drugs.Nabbed by operatives of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 and the Silay City Police Station were Angie Dumdumaya, 30, and her sister, Angielyn Dumdumaya, 25, both tagged by the police as high-value drug individuals.The suspects were arrested after they sold illegal drugs worth P30,000 to a police-poseur buyer.Recovered from their possession were two kilos of suspected shabu estimated to cost P13.668 million and the buy-bust money.The suspects are now detained at the...

The family of Dauin, Negros Oriental, Mayor Galicano Truita and their helpers were held hostage by their security escort at their home on Saturday, August 27.Lt Col. Roland Lavisto, public information officer of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NORPPO), said in a statement Sunday, August 28, that the suspect, identified as 57-year-old Venirando Dalope of Pangasinan, surrendered to authorities after hours of negotiations.He held captive the mayor’s wife, Maria Carmen Truita, and, daughter Jemimie Truita, and their helpers, Liza Tuban and Maricon Abarientos.The suspect has been working as a security escort for the family for several years, and was suffering from a nervous breakdown prior to the incident, the police said.It was the mayor who informed town police c...

Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, Police Regional Office-6 director, leads a command conference at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office headquarters on Friday, August 26.*NOCPPO photoThe Police Regional Office-6 will tighten its security measures in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental to prevent the entry of illegal drugs during the MassKara Festival.Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, acting PRO-6 director, who was in the province for a command conference Friday, August 26, said the supply of illegal drugs is still on the ground, citing the huge drug haul of drugs in the region, recently.He said that the police will focus on their anti-drug campaign.The police said that based on their monitoring, the demand for illegal drugs increases during festivals because of the influx of peopl...

The scene of the crime in Calatrava.*PNP photoAnother village chief was gunned down in Negros Occidental.Brgy. Lalong, Calatrava chief Benjamin Javoc, 54, was shot to death by 10 unidentified men Friday, August 26.The suspects then carted away the victim’s belongings and P20,000 in cash.The police are investigating if the crime was insurgency-related.On Wednesday, August 24, gunmen also killed the chief of Barangay Cabcab, Isabela, which was also said to be insurgency-related.

Henjie Cuadra, the alleged leader of the investment scam.*NOCPPO photoOne of the suspected leaders of an alleged investment “scam” in Negros Occidental was arrested Thursday, August 25, at San Gregorio Village, Binalbagan.Nabbed was Henjie Cuadra, who was said to be one of the leaders and founders of RGS Corporation that allegedly scammed millions from its investors.His apprehension was by virtue of an arrest warrant for syndicated estafa issued by Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Judge Maria Lina Palencia Gonzaga on August 15.No bail was recommended for his temporary liberty.Cuadra denied the allegations against him. He did not escape, he had only gon on vacation, Cuadra said.The police urged the victims of the “investment scam” to file complaints.*

The victim was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.*Pontevedra PNP photoA man was hacked to death by his neighbors over a land dispute at Purok Cadena de Amor, Barangay San Isidro, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, Wednesday, August 24.Killed was Eric Galope, 37.The victim and the suspects - Rex Salme, 59, and his son Bobby, 34, had just attended a hearing at the barangay hall on their land conflict when the incident happened.When they were outside the barangay hall, the victim made a comment to Rex Salme, saying, “Kuha-a ang tangke. Imo man na (Take the tank, it’s yours).”This could have triggered the suspect to attack Galope with his bolo.But the victim was able to run, only to be caught by the suspect’s son, Rex.The victim succumbed to 10 hack wounds and was ...