Marchel P. Espina

Apr132021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Dogs of massacred family rescued

CARE photosThe two dogs who witnessed the gruesome murders of their humans in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City, were rescued a week after the incident.The pet dogs were left alone with no food and water. One of them was left inside the house, while the other one was outside the gate.Animal welfare organization Community Animal Rescue Efforts (CARE) Inc. said, “only a few paid attention to two creatures left behind” following the tragedy in Barangay Tangub.CARE, in a Facebook post, said their rescuers were informed on April 10 about the living conditions of the two pets, whom they named Prince and Michael.“With no food and water for a number of days, Prince was padlocked inside and Michael braved the heat and cold outside the gate,” the group said.They added that concer...

Apr112021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Massacre suspect seeks forgiveness

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The primary suspect behind the massacre of four family members, including a six-year-old girl, in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City, asked for forgiveness after he executed his extrajudicial confession on Saturday, April 10.Jocelyn Espinosa-Nombre, 59, her sister Remedios Jemma Espinosa, 69, their nephew John Michael Espinosa, 35, and his six-year-old daughter who were murdered at their home in Barangay Tangub on April 4 were buried at the Bacolod Memorial Park Saturday.Christian Don Tulot, 39, who admitted killing the four victims, asked for forgiveness from their families, saying he did not want it to happen.He also asked for forgiveness for lying in his previous testimonies.In his extrajudicial confession, Tulot, an adopted son of Nombre's sister, said that on April 4, he wa...

Apr112021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Benitez to help private sector secure COVID-19 vaccines

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Alfredo Benitez, former Negros Occidental 3rd District representative and now Capitol consultant, assured the private sector that he will help them secure coronavirus vaccines.He gave the assurance during an economic consultation Saturday, April 10, at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City.During the gathering, Benitez told the stakeholders that if there is anybody from the private sector who is interested to get the COVID-19 vaccines, “we have a point person for distributor. They are willing to sign a multi-party agreement - the company, the buyer, and the government.”“I have a template of this multi-party agreement that can be executed,” Benitez said.He added the vaccines will be available in the third or fourth quarter of the year.Benitez said he talked with the bu...

Apr112021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

‘Gossip’ triggers hacking of pa, son to death

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Bago PNP photoA father and his son were hacked to death by their relative in their home at Barangay Ilijan in Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, April 8.Killed were barangay kagawad Manuel Suriaga, 71, and his son Rene Suriaga, 48, a utility worker.The third victim, 47-year-old Jonarie Suriaga, nephew and cousin of the victims, sustained minor hack wounds.A police report said the suspect Eleodoro Suriaga Jr., 48, nephew and cousin of the victims, was passing by the victims’ home when he allegedly heard Manuel saying that he raped a family member 20 years ago.This allegedly triggered the suspect to attack Manuel, who was with his daughter-in-law and grandchildren preparing dinner in their kitchen, with a bolo.The daughter-in-law and her children were able to ...

Apr92021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Murder raps readied vs. assailant, 2nd suspect released from custody

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The police are now preparing multiple murder charges against the primary suspect behind the massacre of four family members, including a six-year-old girl, in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City.Maj. Joery Puerto, Bacolod Police Station 8 chief, said Friday, April 9, that they are considering Christian Don Tulot, 39, as the primary suspect of the killings of Jocelyn Espinosa-Nombre, 59; her sister Remedios Jemma Espinosa, 69; their nephew John Michael Espinosa, 35; and his six-year-old daughter because “all of the evidence are pointing at him.”The bodies of the victims were in a state of decomposition when they were found at their residence on Wednesday, April 7.Due to the inconsistencies in the statement of Tulot, the second suspect, who supposedly had a hand in the massacre, was re...

Apr92021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Bacolod police anti-criminality drive gets boost

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BCPO photoThe anti-criminality drive of the Bacolod City Police Office got a boost from stakeholders after it received P10,000 worth of gas assistance from local business groups.Col. Manuel Placido, city police chief, received the gas coupons Thursday, April 8, from businessman Crispin Chua, who represented the Northern Negros Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry.The local business groups met with the city’s top cop in February to express their concern over the series of shooting incidents in Bacolod since the start of the year.During their meeting, the business sector committed to donate a P10,000 gas allowance every month to the BCPO to boost their mobility and to help strengthen measures to prevent crime...

Apr82021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

2nd suspect in Tangub massacre falls, third assailant still at large

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The second suspect in the massacre of four family members, including a six-year-old girl, in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City was arrested in a police follow-up operation Thursday, April 8.The statement of the first suspect, 39-year-old Christian Don Tulot, who was picked up by the police as a person of interest in Salvador Benedicto town Wednesday afternoon, April 7, led to the arrest of his uncle, Joel Espinosa, 57, at his home in Barangay Tangub, which was adjacent to the victims’ house.Espinosa, who turned out to be the brother of the two victims, vehemently denied his involvement in the killing.The third assailant, who has yet to be identified, remained at large.They were linked to the murders of Jocelyn Espinosa-Nombre, 59; her sister Remedios Jemma Espinosa, 69; their n...

Apr82021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Labor dismayed after management rejects pandemic relief allowance

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The secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Associations expressed labor’s dismay after business establishments in Western Visayas rejected their proposed P25-30 per day Pandemic Emergency Relief Allowance for workers.During the meeting with the Regional Wage Board Wednesday, April 7, Eduardo Estrella and Reynaldo Ambao, who represent management in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Region 6, manifested their opposition on the proposal of the labor sector.Wennie Sancho, GAWA secretary-general and labor representative to the RTWPB-6, said the management representatives claimed “it is not the time to extend additional allowance because the employers are also suffering from the economic recession, business closures and can hardly keep their busin...

Apr72021 by Marchel P. EspinaNo Comments

Benitez says ‘work first before politics’

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Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, former Negros Occidental third district representative and now Capitol consultant, on Wednesday, April 7, dismissed the clamor for him to run for mayor of Bacolod City.Calls for him to run for mayor of Bacolod surfaced recently, weeks after a campaign for him to run for senator in 2022 popped up on social media.“As of now, I’m a provincial consultant. I’ll do whatever I can do as a provincial consultant, that’s what keeping me busy,” Benitez said Wednesday, April 7, when asked for a comment on this development.He stressed that he is focusing on his work right now. “There is a pandemic, which we should prioritize rather than politics.”Benitez added that he has not made a decision at all.Benitez’s son, Javier “Javi” Benitez, who will run for mayor...