Marchel P. Espina

Engels Escultor photoA detainee of the Escalante City Police Station died Friday, May 7, at the Vicente Gustilo District Hospital in the locality.The fatality was identified as 20-year-old Rajie Yap of Yolanda Homes, Barangay Washington, Escalante. He was arrested in February this year for a frustrated homicide charge.The detainee, who was suffering from stomach pain, was brought to the hospital in the evening of May 6, and was brought back to the police station after, the police report said.At about 5:30 a.m. of May 7, he was brought to the hospital again for persisting stomach pain. The attending physician advised to confine him at the facility.Hours later, at about 12:45 p.m., the police were informed that the detainee succumbed to acute respiratory failure.Col. ...

A motorcycle driver was killed in an accident at the intersection of the Circumferential and Alijis roads in Barangay Alijis, Bacolod City early Sunday, May 9.Killed was Joy Labares, 28, of Barangay Banogbanog, Isabela, while his back rider, Paul Villacapa, 24, of Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, sustained injuries.The motorcycle carrying the two men, who were said to under the influence of intoxicating liquor, hit the gas tank of a truck loaded with sugarcane, which was driven by Marcel Dalimo-os, 33, of Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City.Police are still investigating the case.*

The Sipalay City government will now require close contacts of COVID-19 positive patients to undergo mandatory RT-PCR tests because of the “alarming increase” of cases in the locality.In an advisory Thursday night, May 6, the city government said that the local Inter-Agency Task Force will “strictly enforce the mandatory swab testing for all contact traced individuals as per contact tracers’ report.”It added that a demand letter will be issued to those who will refuse to cooperate.The City Health Office also conducted a mandatory swabbing for all contact traced market vendors and stall owners on Friday, May 7.Other market vendors, stall owners, and helpers were also encouraged to submit themselves for voluntary swab testing.Those who undergo a swab test received a food ...

A 40-year-old man was shot dead by an unidentified suspect while he was attending a wake at Barangay Tapi in Kabakalan City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, May 4.Killed was Ridardo Cabison Jr. of Barangay Nagasi, La Carlota City.The victim was watching people playing card games at the wake when he was shot by an unidentified man.He was shot on the nape and in the stomach when he tried to face his assailant.When he fell to the ground, he was shot again two times, the police report said.The victim was brought by his family to Brgy. Tabugon Hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival.Recovered from the crime scene were two fired cartridges of a .45 caliber pistol.Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

Cadiz PNP photoA farm manager at Hacienda Dalayapan in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, was gunned down by unidentified suspects in Barangay Caduhaan on Tuesday, May 4.Killed was 51-year-old Manalo Porre, who was on his way to the sugarcane plantation when he was waylaid and shot several times by unidentified men.He died on the spot, the police report said, while the suspects fled in an unknown direction.Recovered from the scene were six empty shells and four unfired cartridges of a 5.56 caliber pistol, five empty shells of .45 caliber pistol, and one slug of an unknown caliber of firearm.Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

PDEA-6 photoDrugs worth P3.4 million were seized and two suspects were arrested in a buy-bust operation at a cock farm in Murcia town, Negros Occidental, Tuesday night, May 4.Nabbed were Reylan Artus and Justine Ledesma, who sold drugs worth P12,500 to operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-6 Special Enforcement Team and Murcia Municipal Police Station.The third suspect, Andrew Ledesma, was able to escape during the bust.Authorities recovered five sachets containing suspected shabu worth P3.4 million with an estimated weight of 500 grams, a digital weighing scale, and other items.The suspects will face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

BCPO photoThe month-long intensified campaign of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) against criminality has resulted in the recovery of about P3 million worth of drugs.The police confiscated a total of 432.2596 grams of illegal drugs worth P2.939 million during operations from April 1 to 30, an accomplishment report released by the BCPO Tuesday, May 4, showed.During the 56 anti-drug operations, 69 suspects - three high-value individuals, 62 street-level individuals, and four newly identified drug personalities - were arrested while 102 drug charges were filed in court.On the campaign against wanted persons, the BCPO arrested 54 personalities, including the six most wanted persons, while eight loose firearms were confiscated during the period.A total of 13 firearms we...

A teenager was gunned down inside his residence at Barangay Mailum in Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Friday, April 30.The police identified the fatality as Cyrus Mariano, who was asleep during the attack by an unidentified suspect.One of the assailants, who wore brown shorts and jacket, entered the house of the victim and shot him three times, a Bago police report said.The second suspect, who wore a white T-shirt and maong shorts, stayed outside of the victim’s house and served as a lookout.Both suspects fled towards a the sugarcane plantation, the police report said.The victim was rushed to the Bago City Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.The victim succumbed to gunshot wounds on his head and chest.Recovered from the scene we...

MISSING TEEN. The family of 15-year-old April Joy Garcia of Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, is asking for help to find her.*A Bacolod City family is asking the public to help locate a 15-year-old girl who has been missing for days now.April Joy Garcia of Barangay Banago left their house on April 26 to go swimming at a resort in Barangay Pta. Taytay in Bacolod City.That was the last time her family saw her.The family, in a police blotter report, said the cellular phone of the minor could not be reached, and that they “exerted effort to find the girl but to no avail.”Renel Luces, the girl's half-brother, said that his sister only turned 15 on April 13.His sister was with her 21-year-old boyfriend when she was last seen, Luces said.He said they could not also find t...