Marchel P. Espina

A man who attended the 18th birthday party of his neighbor was shot to death at Aguntilang 3, Brgy. Riverside, Isabela, Negros Occidental, Tuesday, July 12.Killed was 26-year-old Milky Talanas.The victim who was at his neighbor’s party was attacked by an unidentified suspect with an unknown firearm, the police said.The victim succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to his chest, while the suspect fled.Police have yet to establish the motive of the killing.*

A village watchman of Barangay San Isidro, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, was arrested during a raid on his home for possession of an illegal firearm on Sunday, July 10.Police identified the suspect as Edwin Rodrigazo, 58.The police conducted the raid after receiving  reports of alleged indiscriminate firing, and alarm and scandal by the suspect.The search warrant was issued La Carlota City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Cyclamen Jison-Fernandez.Recovered from the suspect were a .45  caliber pistol, a homemade .38 caliber revolver, a silencer for .45 caliber pistol  and  ammunition.The suspect who is now in police custody was charged for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.*

Three persons were arrested in drug bust at Barangay 3, Bacolod City, on Monday, July 11.*PDEA photoA suspected drug den was dismantled by anti-drug operatives during a bust at Purok Lubi, Brgy. 3, Bacolod City, on Monday, July 11.Nabbed were suspected drug den maintainer Ernie Catahay, Michael Murillo and his cousin, Birgo Murillo. They were said to be high-value individuals.The drug sting operation also resulted to the confiscation of 12 grams of suspected shabu worth P81,600, an improvised glass tooter, disposable lighters, a pouch and the buy-bust money.The suspects who are now in the custody of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Negros Occidental are facing drug charges.*

A total of 2,992 wanted persons were arrested in Western Visayas in the first six months of the year.Of the arrests, 488 were classified as most wanted persons (MWP) and 2,485 were tagged as other wanted persons (OWP).For the MWPs, Negros Occidental topped the list with 170 arrests, followed by Iloilo province with 98, Bacolod City with 72, Capiz – 42, Antique - 31, Iloilo City - 28, Aklan - 27, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group – Regional Field Unit (CIDG-RFU) - 14, and Guimaras - six.Of the 2,504 arrested OWPs, Negros Occidental posted the highest number of arrests with 1,330, Iloilo province with 394, Bacolod City - 216, Aklan - 117, Capiz - 112, Antique - 103, Iloilo City and CIDG-RFU with 89 each, and Guimaras - 54.Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, Police Regional Offi...

The recoveries from a drug bust at Brgy. Granada in Bacolod City on Sunday, July 10.*BCPO photoA woman who was arrested in a police buy-bust operation in Brgy. Granada, Bacolod City, on Sunday, July 10, yielded more than P500,000 worth of drugs.Nabbed was 25-year-old Mariane Gumban.Recovered from her possession were 75 grams of suspected shabu worth P510,000, and the P200 buy-bust money, the police reported.She is now detained at the custodial facility of Police Station 5 and is facing drug charges.*

A man was shot in his house at Brgy. Tortosa in Manapla on Saturday, July 9.*Manapla PNP photoThree more shooting incidents were reported in Negros Occidental during  the weekend.In Manapla, Marlon Castro, 51, was shot in his house at Hda. Fidel, Brgy. Tortosa in Manapla on Saturday, July 9.The suspect fired his gun from outside the house of the victim, who sustained gunshot wounds to his thigh.The gunman fled  while the victim was brought to Ikaayong Lawas Hospital at Victorias City.The motive of the incident has yet to be established.In Hinigaran, a commotion at a wake led to shooting and stabbing incidents at Sitio Ubay, Barangay Pilar Saturday night.The injured victims were identified as Marjun Garganta and Daryl Dionillo.Suspect Marlon Gargant...

A man who was sitting at a sari-sari store was shot to death at Purok Bulak in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City Saturday night, July 9.*BCPO photoAnother shooting incident occurred in Bacolod City on Saturday night, July 9.Killed was 46-year-old Jovanie Gonzalez of Purok Bulak in Barangay Mandalagan.The victim was sitting in front of a sari-sari store near his house when he was attacked by an unidentified man on board a motorcycle.The police said the suspect, who was wearing a black helmet and jacket, alighted from his motorcycle and shot the victim with an unknown firearm. He fled after the incident.Gonzalez succumbed to a lone gunshot wound at the back of his head.Police have yet to determine the motive of the killing, but the initial investigation indicated that...

An unidentified man robbed a pawnshop and carted away a gun and cellphone.*Valladolid PNP photoAn unidentified man robbed RD Pawnshop at Rizal Street in Brgy. Poblacion, Valladolid, Negros Occidental on Saturday, July 9.Based on the initial police investigation, the suspect gained entry to the pawnshop by destroying the roof and the ceiling of the comfort room.The .38 caliber revolver that was placed inside the vault room and the cellular phone from the drawer were missing.The estimated time of the incident was between 3 to 5 a.m., the police said.The police are still investigating the incident.*

The recoveries from a drug bust at Brgy. Punta Taytay, Bacolod City, on Sunday, July 10.*BCPO photoMore than P500,000 worth of drugs were seized and three suspects were captured, including two suspected high-value targets, in a police buy-bust operation at Brgy. Punta Taytay, Bacolod City, early Sunday, July 10.Nabbed were  Cyril “Toto Cyril” Gepielago, 49,  Julius "Pioky” Londres, 42, and Pearly Mae “Liming” Panes, 30. Gepielago and Londres were tagged by the police as high-value individuals in the anti-drugs campaign.During the bust, the police recovered 77 grams of suspected shabu worth P523,600 from the suspects, the P1,000 in marked money, a sling bag, a coin purse, and P200 in cash believed to be proceeds from the sale of drugs.The suspects, who wil...

Army map of the encounter site*The New People’s Army claimed on Friday, July 8, said that the alleged encounter with state troopers on July 6 in Binalbagan,  Negros Occidental, which claimed the lives of four of their  comrades, was a “massacre.”But the government forces refuted their claims, saying that the NPA is spreading lies to cover the setback following the death of their four members.Ka Juanito Magbanua, spokesperson of the NPA Apolinario Gatmaitan Command, claimed the encounter was “fake.”Their comrades were sick and resting when the soldiers raided their hut, he said.The state forces should have not neutralized the rebels because they were not well and could not fight, Magbanua added.Capt. Kim Apitong, officer-in-charge of the Public Affairs Offi...