Marchel P. Espina

Barangay San Jose, Sipalay City.*Google MapsA suspected robbery group member died in a police shootout at Barangay San Jose in Sipalay City on Saturday, February 20.Police identified the fatality as Eddie Epogon, 25, who was allegedly part of the Epogon robbery group, that was said to be responsible for a string of robberies in Negros Occidental.Joint operatives of the Regional Special Operation Group-6, Regional Intelligence Division-6, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Negros, the 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company, Sipalay Police Station, Regional Mobile Force Battalion-6, and the 15th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army swooped down on the residence of the suspect in the wee hours to serve his three warrants of arrest.The suspect had wa...

BCPO photoA woman was gunned down outside a mall at the South Capitol Road in Barangay 8, Bacolod City. Saturday night, February 20.Police identified the victim as 29-year-old Medelyn Junco of Barangay 2.Based on the initial police investigation, the victim was on board a tricycle when the riding-in-tandem suspects tailed the vehicle and shot the woman in the head.The woman died on the spot, while the suspects fled from the scene.Recovered from the scene were two fired cartridges and two slugs of an unknown firearm.The tricycle driver and his wife, who was also on board the tricycle, were unscathed.Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

City DRRMO photoTwo people were killed while nine others were injured in separate road accidents in Bacolod City during the weekend.The first incident was at around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, February 20, at Buri Road in Barangay Mandalagan.The fatalities were identified as motorcycle driver Joshua Dalumpines, 23, of Barangay Mandagalan, and rider Adrian Bacan, 24, of Barangay Estefania.Based on a police report, Dalumpines lost control of the motorcycle, which hit the concrete gutter.The victims, who were thrown off the motorcycle due to the impact, landed at the concrete stockpile at the side of the road.The victims died on the spot.City DRRMO photoCOLLISIONIn another incident, nine people were injured after two pick-up trucks collided along Rizal-Lacson stre...

Photo from sancarlosdirectory.comA passenger ship bound for Toledo City, Cebu, from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, was forced to return to the port following strong current today, February 19.Philippine Coast Guard-Negros Occidental, in an advisory, said M/V Lite Ferry 2 of Lite Shipping Corp. departed from the port of San Carlos City at around 11:20 a.m. but it encountered strong waves.“The captain of the vessel elected to return to port for safety reasons. Vessel safely docked at the port of San Carlos at 1 p.m.,” the advisory said.The ship was carrying rolling cargoes and one Authorized Person Outside of Residence.*

In this 2019 file photo, President Rodrigo Duterte visits the wake of the killed policemen in Negros Oriental.*PCOO photoThe prime suspect in the 2019 murder of four policemen in Negros Oriental died in a joint police operation in Mandaluyong City today, February 18.The police identified the fatality as Ryan Sandag Manguilimutan, who was known as “James” and “Ka Ignacio” in the underground movement.Philippine National Police chief, Police General Debold Sinas, in a statement, said Manguilimutan died in a shootout with the composite team of arresting officers from the Special Action Force, the lead unit, Intelligence Group, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, National Capital Region Police Office, and Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office.The police recovered from...

BCPO photoA driver died after his motorcycle fell on its side and slid under an approaching firetruck at Lacson Extension in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, Wednesday night, February 17.Killed was Joseph Ordeneza of Barangay Taloc, Bago City.The motorcycle of Ordeneza slid down the road and went under the oncoming firetruck of the Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade in the opposite lane, initial police investigation showed.Ordeneza died on the spot, while the firetruck driver Ariel Minor of Barangay Malubon, Sagay City, was placed under police custody.*

Kabankalan PNP photoA 40-year-old wife was bludgeoned to death by her jealous husband in their home at Barangay Camingawan, Kabankalan City, past midnight Tuesday, February 16.The victim was identified as Delbeth Laurente, who died instantly after she was hit with a hammer on the head by her husband, 44-year-old Saler Laurente.Based on the initial police investigation, the wife was already asleep when she was awakened by her husband, who then fatally hit her on the head.The husband suspected that his wife had an affair and that there was a plan to kill him, so he killed her first, the police said.The suspect surrendered to the authorities after the incident.*

BCPO photoA tricycle driver died after he figured in an accident along the Granada-Alangilan Road in Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, Tuesday evening, February 16.Killed was Jose Ronnie Ruel Jr., 34, of Barangay Concepcion, Talisay City.The victim was thrown on to the pavement after his tricycle hit a road gutter, the police said.The victim, who was brought to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, succumbed to injuries on his head and other parts of his body.His tricycle had minor damages.*