Marchel P. Espina

PDEA-6 photosThe Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Negros Occidental continues to step up its campaign against illegal drugs by curbing smuggling through ports.PDEA’s K-9 Interdiction Unit conducted a random paneling and sweeping operation at the Simplicio A. Palanca Seaport Terminal at the BREDCO Port in Bacolod City Wednesday, April 7.Shey Tanaleon, PDEA-6 information officer, said the K-9 sweeping operation is primarily focused on mail, parcels, and cargo logistics in port terminals.Profiling of passengers is then conducted to detect drug couriers through their behavioral manifestation and to deter illegal drug activities inside the terminal, she added.For this operation, no presence of illegal drugs or contraband was recovered.Members of PDEA-Negros Occident...

Calls for Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, former Negros Occidental third district representative and now Capitol consultant, to run for mayor of Bacolod City have surfaced on social media.The calls came weeks after a campaign for the former lawmaker to run for senator in 2022 also surfaced on social media.Benitez earlier said that running for senator in 2022 has not crossed his mind.But “Run, Albee, Run” and “Bacolod City, it’s time, let’s smile again!” posts have spread on Facebook, recently.Tarpaulins urging the former congressman to run have also been spotted in some parts of the city.Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod party-list) in a Facebook post said, “Bacolod for Albee, Albee for Bacolod!”It was also shared by Benitez’s allies, including former board member Patric...

Residents of Bago City have come up with solutions to stop the joint venture agreement between the Bago City Water District (BACIWAD) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Inc., which is owned by the Villar family.In a position paper issued Tuesday, April 6, by the Alliance of Concerned Christians (ACC) of Bago City, an ecumenical and multi-sectoral alliance, that was signed by its chairman, Carlo Guevarra, the group laid down their recommendations to address the locality’s water problems, as they strongly oppose the privatization of the local utility firm.The group said that the Local Water Utilities of Bago must have its up-to-date short-term and long-term plan for the improvement of its facilities and improvement of its services.They also said that BACIWAD must step up its efficienc...

Residents and multi-sectoral groups of Bago City are opposing the move to privatize their water district.The sectoral groups led by the Alliance of Concerned Christians (ACC) of Bago City, an ecumenical and multi-sectoral alliance, are spearheading the information dissemination and campaign against the joint venture agreement between the Bago City Water District (BACIWAD) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Inc., which is owned by the Villar family.Fr. Chris Gonzales, head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod, said the community is alarmed with the impending privatization of the government-run service agency and its possible adverse effects on the consuming public of Bago City.The Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist together with the pastors of the different deno...

The total crime volume in the first quarter of the year dropped by 19.14 percent, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) reported Monday, April 5.Based on the BCPO report, the crime incidents in the first three months of 2021 were 321 compared to the same period in 2020 with 397, posting a decrease of 76 crime incidents.Of the 321 incidents, 71 are index crimes while 250 are non-index crimes.Index crimes are serious crimes such as murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, rape, theft, and carjacking, while non-index crimes are violations of local ordinances and laws and vehicular accidents.The average monthly crime rate also dropped, from 21.63 percent in 2020 to 17.49 in 2021.Col. Manuel Placido, BCPO director, attributed the lower crime volume to the initiated police...

The Department of Tourism (DOT) will only allow staycations in hotels during the Holy Week in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat issued interim operational guidelines to DOT-accredited hotel and other accommodation establishments, which took effect Monday, March 29, and will last until April 4.Under the interim guidelines, the DOT has categorized the accommodation establishments based on the nature of their operations.These are:*Isolation facilities - for the isolation of COVID-19 positive guests*Quarantine hotels - for quarantine of guests who may have been exposed to the virus*Regular hotels - establishments that are neither isolation facilities nor quarantine hotels and that they were issued with Certificates of...

Bayan Negros photoProgressive groups trooped to the Fountain of Justice in Bacolod City Tuesday, March 30, for the “Kalbaryo sang Pumuluyo.”The groups led by Bayan Negros marched down major thoroughfares in the city to condemn the continued attacks and threats on activists and dissenters.They also paraded a giant makeshift cross to demonstrate the sufferings of the Filipinos under the “fascist” Duterte regime and held banners with a message: “Ayuda, puluy-an kag ikaayong lawas. Indi pagpamatay (Assistance, housing and good health, not killings).”“Far from being just a laboratory rat, Negros continues to be a heated target of state forces under this tyrannical regime. This administration resorts to violence as it is incapable of addressing the decades-long problem of hunger ...

Six of 10 rebels who were killed in a clash with state forces in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, were laid to rest Monday, March 29, at the city’s public cemetery.*Guihulngan PNP photoSix of the 10 rebels who were killed in an encounter with state forces in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, were laid to rest Monday, March 29, at the city’s public cemetery.The burial rites were led by the city government and the state forces, along with the families of the suspected members of the New People’s Army.Only one of the 10 cadavers was left unclaimed by his family. He was identified by the Army as Alias Jek-Jek of Barangay Budlasan, Canlaon City.The 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army also released Monday the names of the rebels killed in the three-hour firefight in Bar...

A 54-year-old man was shot to death outside of his residence at Barangay San Isidro in Toboso, Negros Occidental Sunday, March 28.Killed was Eddie Gumban, who was about to park his motorcycle in their garage when he was attacked by four unidentified suspects.Based on the police report, the suspects shot the victim several times.They then fled from the scene onboard two motorcycles without plate numbers.The victim died on the spot.The police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*