Marchel P. Espina

PIA Negros Oriental photoNegros Oriental elected Bayawan City Mayor Pryde Henry Teves as its new governor.Teves of the Nationalist People's Coalition, who was proclaimed as the winner by the Provincial Board of Canvassers, Tuesday afternoon, May 10, garnered 296,897 votes against incumbent Governor Roel Degamo, with 277,462.Degamo of the Nacionalista Party was gunning for his third and final term.But an independent candidate that goes by the name of Ruel Degamo may have spoiled his reelection bid after securing 49,039 votes.The governor said on his Facebook page that the votes for Ruel Degamo should be counted in his favor, “Ruel being a nuisance candidate.”He also shared a copy of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) decision on his petition to declare Ruel Degamo...

Photo from Pryde Henry Teves FBBayawan City Mayor Pryde Teves is leading the gubernatorial race against re-electionist Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.Partial and unofficial results from the transmitted election returns as of 12:30 am Tuesday, May 10, showed that Teves (NPC) has garnered 218,137 votes against Degamo (NP) with 203,856.Vice Governor Mark Macias, who is also gunning for the governorship, lagged behind with 36,200 votes.Macias, in a Facebook post, said: “It does not look like it was meant to be. Still, we did what we thought needed to be done. To those who believed in our cause, thank you very much. Let us continue to help each other for our province and for our country. It is the only one that we have.”An independent candidate that goes by the name Ru...

Himamaylan PNP photoThe teacher who was killed in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, was supposed to serve in the 2022 National and Local Elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Monday, May 9.DepEd, in a statement, said it strongly condemns the shooting of Mercy Miguel, a teacher at the Himamaylan National High School.“Though it is unclear yet if such brutality was election-related, we denounce any acts of violence and injustice towards our teachers, who have dedicated their lives to the Filipino children and are now selflessly serving the country in this year’s election,” the statement said.Secretary Leonor Briones has already instructed the Office of the Undersecretary for Finance to provide financial and other necessary assistance to the teacher and her fami...

San Enrique PNP photoA construction worker and a minor were intercepted by village officials while they were on their way to distribute an envelop to a resident at Barangay Tibsoc in San Enrique town, Negros Occidental, Sunday night, May 8, on the eve of the election.Nabbed were Dindo Tolosa, 56, of the town’s Brgy Poblacion, and his minor-son, whose name was withheld by the police.Brgy. Kagawad Juno Benitez along with the tanods were conducting a roving patrol in the area when they encountered the suspects on board a tricycle and flagged it down.Tolosa said they were delivering “something” to a resident whom he refused to name.When the barangay officials checked, they found a plastic bag with an envelop marked with party-list No. 99 Uswag Ilonggo.The envelop contai...

The National Police Commission has upheld its earlier decision to dismiss six former Moises Padilla policemen for arresting then vice mayor and now Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo and her husband Felix Yulo III at a checkpoint in 2017.The couple accused the policemen of harassing and planting evidence against them.The new decision dated March 4, 2022, and released to the media Wednesday, April 27, was signed by Acting Staff Service Chief Chito Bustonera of the NAPOLCOM Legal Affairs Service.The NAPOLCOM ordered the Philippine National Police to dismiss the policemen from the service within five days from receipt of its order.NAPOLCOM has also ordered the cancellation of their police eligibilities, forfeiture of retirement benefits, except accrued leave credits, and perpetual disqual...

Victorias PNP photoA young couple was killed after they figured in a head-on collision with a truck at Osmeña Avenue, Hacienda Newton Jison, Brgy. 13 in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Monday afternoon, April 18.Killed were Alejandre Brotario, 28, of Roxas City, Capiz, and his girlfriend, Queenie Rocaberte, 23.Brotario was vacationing in the province as his girlfriend was set to go abroad.The couple was on board a sedan, driven by the Brotario, when it collided with the truck steered by Juanito Panes, 43, of Brgy. Inapoy, Kabankalan City.Police said Brotario may have lost control of the vehicle causing it to encroach on the opposite lane that led to the collision.Both victims were declared dead on arrival at the Victorias City Emergency Center.*

Hinobaan PNP photoA jealous partner allegedly beheaded a man in Brgy. Bacuyangan, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, on Holy Thursday, April 14.Police identified the fatality as Rene Caño, 34, of the barangay.The suspect identified as Jerry Del Carmen, 26, allegedly got jealous and assumed that the victim had feelings for his live-in partner, police investigation said.This prompted the suspect to hack the victim, who was on his way home, several times until his head was cut off, police said.The suspect is now in police custody.*