Marchel P. Espina

NOCPPO photoA man, who was having his morning coffee, was gunned down by unidentified suspects at Barangay Mambulac in Silay City, Negros Occidental, Tuesday morning, January 27.Killed was 54-year-old Rodulfo “Jun Kumpol” Cain Jr., who has been linked to illegal drugs.Based on the initial police investigation, the victim was having a coffee in front of a store when the two unidentified suspects on board a motorcycle shot him two times with a .45 caliber pistol.The victim, who was previously arrested for drugs and was considered by the police to be a street-level individual, succumbed to gunshot wounds on his neck.Police probers recovered two empty cartridges of a .45 caliber pistol at the scene.The motive of the killing has yet to be established.*

The executive wing at the second floor of the Talisay City Hall was temporarily closed starting today, January 26, until Thursday, January 28, for disinfection.This, after one of the city’s executive assistants was exposed to an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Region 6, who was tested positive for coronavirus, during a drug summit last week, City Administrator Jonathan Ealdama said.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and other officials have already gone on self-isolation to stop the possible spread of the virus.Ealdama said this is part of its precautionary measures as the employee went to work on Monday, January 25.The employee has been quarantined at a city facility and will be swabbed for COVID-19 tomorrow, January 27.Other employees who cam...

HPG photoA carnapping suspect, who is the top most wanted person of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group in Western Visayas, was arrested Sunday, January 24.Nabbed was Carlo Claro of Barangay 20.Armed with an arrest warrant, operatives of the HPG-Negros Occidental, Police Station 4, Regional Intelligence Unit-6, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and Calatrava Municipal Police Station, swooped in on Claro’s residence to apprehend him.The arrest warrant for carnapping was issued by San Carlos Regional Trial Court Judge Kathrine Go on June 27, 2019, with a recommended bail of P300,000 for his temporary liberty.The suspect is now in police custody.*

A couple was arrested by authorities in a drug bust operation at Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, Sunday night, January 24.Nabbed were 22-year-old Gicelle Pilaro, a street-level individual, and her partner Jerome Altarios, 22.The suspects yielded seven sachets of suspected shabu worth P102,000, and the P500 marked money.They are now detained at Police Station 3 and facing drug charges.*

A 51-year-old man, who was wanted for murder for more than 20 years, was killed after he resisted arrest at Barangay Dulao, Bago City in Negros Occidental Friday night, January 22.Killed was Emmanuel Sampani of Barangay Dulao, the police reported.The suspect had an arrest warrant for murder issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Alejandro Marquez of Morong, Rizal, on Aug. 25, 1998Policemen led by the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Kidnapping Group were on their way to the suspect to serve his arrest warrant when he chanced upon the authorities along the way, the police report said.The suspect, on board a motorcycle, after sensing the presence of the authorities, alighted from his vehicle and ran towards a sugarcane plantation.Sampani then sought cover behind a mahogany...

The youth of Bacolod City called on Rep. Greg Gasataya to uphold academic freedom amid the unilateral abrogation of the Department of National Defense's pact with the University of the Philippines (UP) on the entry of state forces into campus grounds.In an open letter to Gasataya that was released Saturday, January 23, the youth said the Makabayan bloc has filed a House resolution to uphold the agreement and protect the academic freedom of institutions of higher education.“The youth of Bacolod are urging you to show your support as an advocate for youth and education by signing and co-authoring the resolution,” they asked Gasataya.They added, “we need you to act on the disturbing incidents of harassment, assault, and libel against youth activists, advocates, and organizations. ...

Photo from Laguda Cockpit Center FacebookA government health worker in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, who went to a cockfighting event in neighboring Calatrava town, has tested positive for coronavirus, Mayor Renato Gustilo confirmed tonight, January 22.The government worker, known as Patient No. 515, is a 64-year-old male from Barangay Palampas.Gustilo said they could not determine yet if the patient contracted the virus at the cockpit, but he was there the whole day of January 16. He returned to the city the following day, January 17.They only learned that he was positive for the virus on Thursday, January 21, the mayor said, adding that the patient is now admitted to a hospital in the city after he displayed symptoms such as loss of smell and taste.He said it ha...

A woman was shot and killed by her cousin in Barangay Pandan, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, Thursday night, January 21.Killed was 43-year-old Ana Oñas, while injured was her other cousin, 51-year-old Georgelyn Linigao, and companion, 55-year-old Jesselino Duaban.Based on the initial police investigation, the victims were on their way home when they were waylaid by the suspects, 41-year-old Pedro Oñas, and his accomplice, 39-year-old Nelson Espadera.Pedro then shot Ana with a .45 caliber pistol. She sustained two gunshot wounds to her abdomen and another on her right leg.Linigao sustained three gunshot wounds in her private area, while Duaban was shot two times on the left side of his abdomen.The victims were rushed to the Don Salvador Benedicto Hospital in La Carlota C...