Marchel P. Espina

OPAV photosThe Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) recognized the 29 partners from private and public sectors in Bacolod City in the fight against the coronavirus disease.Leading the rites was Secretary Lloyd Michael Dino at the Seda Hotel in Bacolod City on Thursday, October 29. He was joined by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II and Board Member Ryan Gamboa, both representing the provincial government.The partners were recognized for their immense contribution to the goal of OPAV to bring down cases in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, and Western Visayas.Those who received the plaques of recognition were Melquiades Feliciano, chief implementer of the Inter-Agency Task Force-Visayas, and his wife Mia; Richard Osmeñ...

City PIO photoThe city government of San Carlos has developed its owned technology for contact tracingThe city’s Information Technology and Computer Services Office (ITCSO) came up with a Quick Response (QR) code application for easier and faster contact tracing.The application was launched this week.Joseph Binghay, ITCSO Information Technology Officer II, said the application, named Viral Assessment and Monitoring System, was developed amid the rising COVID-19 cases in the city to make contact tracing easier and faster.He added that the formulation of the ordinance is underway so the use of the application will be implemented in the city.An executive order directing the government offices and barangays to use and implement the contact tracing was already issued by ...

Around 80 cops have been deployed in all cemeteries of Bacolod City for the observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, Lt. Col. Ariel Pico, city police public information officer, said Friday, October 30.Pico said that even if the cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbariums nationwide were closed from October 29 to November 4, policemen will continue to man the areas and to ensure it is closed.Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier issued an executive order imposing the closure of cemeteries, memorial parks, and columbariums in this city to avoid further transmission of the coronavirus disease, in compliance with the order of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to stem the spread of COVID-19.Operators of cemeteries, memori...

BCPO photoA 53-year-old man was killed after he was shot to death by riding-in-tandem suspects at Purok Fatima in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City, Wednesday night, October 28.Killed was Gaudioso Empase of SP Village, Barangay Pahanocoy in Bacolod City.Initial police investigation showed that the victim was driving his tricycle when the suspects shot him.The victim sustained gunshot wounds at the back of his head, causing him to die instantly.Recovered from the scene were five empty shells from an unknown firearm.Police are still investigating the case.*

BCPO photoThree persons, including a woman, were arrested in a drug bust at Purok Kabugwason in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City on Wednesday, October 28.Nabbed were Jose Guzman Jr., 50; Guila Golez, 26; and Ronald Pelowa, 25, all of the barangay.A police report showed that the suspects yielded nine plastic sachets of suspected shabu worth P102,000, the P1,000 marked money, a digital weighing scale, a plastic straw, and two pouches.The suspects, who will face drug charges, are now detained at Police Station 7.*

PVO photoA rescue center in Hinobaan town has provided temporary shelter for some livestock and poultry animals in southern Negros Occidental displaced by a flood brought on by Typhoon Quinta on Sunday, October 25.Local raisers were able to hurriedly bring their animals, hogs, cattle, goats and carabaos to the rescue center at Barangay Pook to save them from the floodwaters.Dr. Merie Ann Tolentino, Provincial Veterinary Field Unit–District 6 veterinarian, in a report, said many other animal raisers wanted to bring their animals to the Hinobaan Animal Rescue Center, however, due to very bad weather, only those from nearby areas were able to do so.The animal rescue center was donated by the provincial government. through the Provincial Veterinary Office. to the municipality o...

The police arrested a septuagenarian woman for possession of firearms at Don Jesus Village in Barangay Canturay, Sipalay City, on Tuesday, October 27.Nabbed was Noemi Espeleta, 70, of the said barangay.Sipalay City policemen swooped into the house of Mark Anthony Montilla to implement a search warrant when they saw an elderly woman who was “in a hurry and uneasy” at the back of the residence, a police report said.Espeleta, who was carrying a black sling bag was heading towards a bushy area, the police report said, adding that when one of the policemen approached her he saw a pistol in plain view.The elderly suspect yielded .380 caliber Taurus pistol with one magazine, a .38 caliber revolver with 30 live cartridges, seven cartridges of a .45 caliber pistol, five live cartrid...

A laborer was shot to death by unidentified suspects at Barangay Bi-ao in Binalbagan town, Negros Occidental, on Monday, October 26.Police identified the fatality as Blas Urbano Jr., 47, and a resident of the barangay.Initial police investigation showed that the victim was walking from his home to his cousin’s house when he was waylaid by three unidentified suspects, who hid behind the sugarcane field.One of the suspects then fired at the victim, who succumbed to gunshot wounds on his head and back.Recovered from the scene were two empty shells of a .45 caliber handgun.The victim was declared dead by the physician of the Binalbagan Rural Health Unit.The police are still investigating the case.*