Marchel P. Espina

The policeman who shot to death in Cauayan Friday, July 22.*Cauayan PNP photoA member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who was reportedly Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) was shot dead in Brgy. Linaon, Cauayan town, Negros Occidental, Friday, July 22.Killed was Vincent Decena, 54, who was also tagged by the Cauayan police as high-value individual.Initial investigation showed that the victim was having his morning coffee at the Adelfa Coffee Shop when three unidentified men arrived and shot the victim several times from behind. Decena died on the spot.The suspects then fled on a gray van.Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

The encounter site in Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City.*303rd IB photoThe family of the suspected rebel who died in an encounter with the state troopers in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, claimed his cadaver Thursday, July 21, at St. Francis Funeral Home.The family of Pompeo Landesa said that he joined the New People’s Army in 2005, the Army reported.His family urged his comrades to surrender to the authorities so they will not suffer the same fate.Landesa was among the rebels encountered by the troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion after they responded to the reported presence of the rebels in the area that led to the firefight.The killed rebel was said to have warrants of arrest for illegal possession of firearms, and murder.Recovered from the encounter site were...

The P1.1 million in suspected shabu recovered in Kabankalan City on Wednesday, July 20.*Kabankalan PNP photoA buy-bust operation in Brgy. Camugao, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, led to the confiscation of P1.156 million worth of illegal drugs and the arrest of two persons on Wednesday, July 20.Nabbed were Jomy “Toto” Consular, 42, and Leosella “Shela” Consular, 27,  of Brgy. Hilamonan.Recovered from their possession were 170 grams worth of suspected shabu, the boodle money, two mobile phones, and a tricycle.The suspects are now in the custody of the Kabankalan police and are facing drug charges.*

The nine suspended cops had been assigned to the Silay City Police Station.*Nine policemen from Silay City, Negros Occidental, were suspended for 50 days for an administrative complaint filed against them four years ago.The order from the National Police Commission included then Silay City police chief Lt. Col. Noel Polines, who said the complaint stemmed from their operation against illegal gambling in the city in 2019. The grave misconduct complaint was downgraded to less grave misconduct, he said.They will be suspended with no pay for 50 days from July 16 to September 3.Lt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said the suspension order came out on July 1.Following the order, eight of the nine policemen were relieved from ...

The encounter site in Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City.*303rd IB photoA suspected member of the New People’s Army was killed in an encounter with government troopers at Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, on Wednesday, July 20.Troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army responded to the reported presence of the rebels in the area that led to the encounter.The five-minute clash resulted in the death of Pompeo “Poping Landeza” Landisa, 54. He was said to have warrants of arrest for illegal possession of firearms, and murder.The government soldiers seized a KG9 rifle loaded with one magazine, one magnum 357 loaded with three ammunition, a hand grenade, and subversive documents.Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Brigade Commander,...

Task Force Botagoy conducts inspections on Tuesday, July 19.*TF Botagoy photoTask Force Botagoy led by Dra. Ma. Agueda Tinidad Dela Torre visited several slaughterhouses and storage facilities in Bacolod City on Tuesday, July 19.The Task Force was recently reorganized by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez through Executive Order No. 007 signed on July 13.Inspected by the task force Tuesday was Jentec Storage Inc. in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City.Jentec is the warehouse of products owned by CDO Foodspher, Inc., Virginia Food Inc. and Jollibee.De la Torre said they conduct regular inspections is to ensure that Jentec's storage facility has proper handling and storage of products.Task Force Botagoy is comprised of personnel from the City Mayor’s Office, City Veterinary O...

San Carlos City’s Sipaway Island is the most visited tourist site in Western Visayas in 2021.*San Carlos Tourism Office photoSipaway Island in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, is the top tourist site in Western Visayas based on the number of its visitors in 2021.This was presented by Tim Ticar, Senior Tourism Operations Officer of the Department of Tourism Region 6, during the 3rd Quarter Negros Occidental Tourism Officer’s meeting on Monday, July 18, at the Social Hall of  Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.Based on the data, six of the top 10 tourist attractions in the region are in Negros Occidental.Sipaway Island, known for its pristine white sand beaches, was visited by 75,685 individuals last year, followed by  the Bantug Lake Ranch in Bacolod City with 5...

The two minors who allegedly yielded suspected shabu at a checkpoint in San Carlos City on Monday, July 18.*San Carlos PNP photoTwo teenagers yielded suspected illegal drugs during a checkpoint at  the Eco TransLink National Highway in  Brgy. Rizal, San Carlos City, Monday, July 18.The minors, aged 15 and 16 years old, both of Barangay 5, were onboard a motorcycle when they were caught by the police after they allegedly violated checkpoint rules.When searched by the authorities, they yielded four sachets of suspected shabu, a coin purse, P21 worth of coins, and two lighters.Both were turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office.*

A man was injured after he was stabbed by his grandmother in Binalbagan on July 16.*Binalbagan PNP photoAn alleged intoxicated man was stabbed by his grandmother in Barangay Bi-ao, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, on  Saturday, July 16.Injured was 29-year-old Ronel Repure.Initial investigation showed that the victim insisted to buy more alcoholic drinks from the sari-sari store of his 70-year-old grandmother despite already being drunk.This prompted the two to argue and led to the grandmother’s stabbing her grandson with a knife.The victim was brought to the Binalbagan infirmary, while the senior citizen cannot be found.*

The scene of the accident in San Carlos City on Friday.*San Carlos PNP photoThe driver of the dump truck that collided with  motorcycles and  left the Guihulngan police chief in Negros Oriental dead at the highway in Barangay Riza, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Friday,  was charged on Saturday, July 16.The accident also left  the director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office and two others injured.Wenny Boy Nagor, 24, of Brgy. Kumaliskis, Don Salvador Benedicto, is now facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide.Killed was Lt. Col. Ruben Verbo, while NORPPO director Col. Germano Mallari sustained minor injuries.They were hit by the oncoming dump truck after its brakes malfunctioned.The suspect is currently detain...