Marchel P. Espina

Human rights groups call for justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings.*Ronnie Baldonado photoHuman rights groups and progressive organizations reiterated their call for an impartial probe and renewed their demand for justice for the victims of state-sponsored killings in Negros under Duterte regime during a Department of Justice Inter-Agency Committee on EJK and Enforced Disappearance case conference at Acacia Hotel in Bacolod City Tuesday, October 25.Pepito Pico, chair of Human Rights Advocates-Negros, said in a statement that there were 109 extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, with 39 cases coming from Negros Occidental and 70 from Negros Oriental.What the police and the DOJ have done was to merely record the gruesome murders and worst, harassed ...

The drugs recovered from the buy-bust operation at Barangay 1, Bacolod City, on Tuesday.*Police Station 2 photoThe Bacolod police seized P523,000 worth of illegal drugs and arrested an alleged high-value target during a buy-bust at Purok Tangigue, Brgy. 1, Bacolod City, at 3:05 a.m. Tuesday, October 25.Nabbed was Joelibert Sancho, alias Mikmik, 31, of at Purok Tangigue.Confiscated from him were 77 grams of suspected shabu worth P523,000, the P1,000 marked money, a pouch, and P250 in cash.The suspect is now detained at the Police Station 2, facing drug charges.*

The culminating activity at the Bacolod City Police Office grounds on Monday, October 24.*BCPO photoThe Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) said the just concluded MassKara Festival was successful and generally peaceful.The Balik Yuhum-themed festival which concluded Sunday, October 23, recorded no major criminal incidents from October 1 to 23, the police said.Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, city police director, said the 23-day-festival was a total success as far as peace and order and public safety is concerned.“The whole of nation approach involving other government agencies used in major events made the festivities peaceful and orderly. The security preparations and the deployment of PNP personnel with BCPO force multipliers also proved effective in all of the festival venues,...

The scene of the crime in Calatrava on Sunday.*Calatrava PNP photoA man was shot to death while he was at a store in Barangay Ani-e, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, Sunday, October 23.Killed was Danilo Cuales, 52.Police said the victim was eating bread with his partner when he was approached by the suspect identified as 42-year-old Ronald Abadilla, who shot Cuales multiple times.The victim died on the spot, while the suspect fled to an unknown direction.Cuales and Abadilla got into a fight in 2018, which led to the victim hitting the suspect in the face, the police said.The police said the suspect may have taken the chance to retaliate against the victim.He is currently at large.*

The scene of the accident in Don Salvador Benedicto.*A kagawad of Barangay Bunga, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, was killed after he figured in an accident on Saturday, October 22.Killed was 28-year-old Joelibert Toreno.The victim was found lying on the side of the road in Purok Estewetes in Barangay Bunga.Lt. Everly Canto, DSB deputy police chief, said the victim went drinking on Friday, October 21, and brought home his companion.Toreno's motorcycle overshot the road and hit the pavement that caused his death, the police said.*

The man who was hacked to death in La Castellana Friday.*La Castellana PNP photoA man was hacked to death allegedly by a minor and his sexagenarian father in Brgy. Robles, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, Friday night, October 21.Killed was 57-year-old Elmer Silverio.Police said the minor suspect was having a drinking spree at a store when his father, 62-year-old Joel Parcon, arrived and talked about their grudge against the victim’s brother.This led to a heated argument after the victim, who was said to be armed with a bamboo club, arrived in the area and confronted the two, police said.But when the victim, who was on board his motorcycle, fell to the ground and was hacked by the suspects several times. He died on the spot, the police said.In a police pursuit oper...

Evacuees of Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City return to their homes.*Mayor Tongson FB photoClasses in the three sitios of Barangay Carabalan in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, will resume Monday, October 24.Mayor Raymund Tongson, in an executive order issued October 20, said that the resumption of classes in Sitios Campayas, Medel, and Sig-ang was based on the recommendation of School Division Superintendent Gladys Amylaine Sales.Residents of the three sitios were the last ones to return home after the Army and the Incident Management Team previously cleared other areas in the village of insurgency.The encounters between the state troopers and members of the New People’s Army that started on October 6 claimed the lives of two soldiers and a ranking rebel leader.It...

A carpenter from Bacolod City died while doing construction work at Barangay 3 in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, Saturday morning.The fatality was identified as Anthony Bellardo, 47, of Barangay Villamonte.Police said the victim fell to a cemented pavement, hitting his head first, after he accidentally touched a live wire of the neighbor’s house that was under construction.He was immediately rushed to Sipalay City Infirmary but he was declared dead on arrival.*

The farmer who was found dead.*Moises Padilla PNP photoA farmer was found dead at Barangay Guinpana-an, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, October 20.The victim was identified as Eliseo Amparado, 58.The victim was lying on a bamboo chair, covered in blood, when the police found him.He sustained multiple wounds on his body.A bolo was recovered from the crime scene, which could have been used by the unidentified suspect to kill the victim.The police are still investigating the incident.*

The Philippine National Police approved the request to suspend the Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFOR) during the 43rd MassKara Festival in Bacolod City.The memorandum from the national police headquarters came out Friday, October 21.Lt. Col. Sherlock Gabana, Bacolod City Police Office public information officer, said the ban will be from 12:01 a.m. of October 17 to 11:59 p.m. of October 23.He said that only members of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies who are performing official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms.This is to ensure that the activity will be free from firearm-related incidents and for the safety of the community as well as local and foreign tourists, he...