Marchel P. Espina

The drugs recovered during the buy-bust operation in Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.*Police Station 8 photoA drug buy-bust operation at Henrietta Village in Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, on Thursday night, October 20, led to the recovery of P170,000 worth of shabu.Nabbed was Kimber John “Puswak” Garces, 28.During the bust, he yielded 25 grams of suspected shabu , the P500 buy bust money, and a coin purse.The suspect is now detained at Police Station 8, and is facing drug charges.*

The senior high school student who was shot.*Sagay PNP photoA senior high school student was shot in Brgy. Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, Wednesday night, October 19.The victim was identified as 19-year-old Renelyn Batobato.Initial investigation showed that the victim was with her friends when the suspect identified as James Dorimon shot her with a pistol several times.The victim sustained wounds on her feet and was rushed to a hospital.The suspect on board a motorcycle was pursued by responding police.His motorcycle was left abandoned at a sugarcane field, which was 400 meters away from the crime scene. He remains at large.*

The alleged rebel who surrendered to authorities.*303rd IB photoAn alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) who was said to be “hungry and exhausted” surrendered to the 94th Infantry Battalion troops in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, on Wednesday, October 19.The rebel identified only as Jan-jan, whose real name was withheld for security reasons, was part of the group that was encountered by government soldiers in a series of clashes in Carabalan on October 6. He also surrendered two M-16 rifles with ammunition and magazines, Cpt. Mervin Rosal, civil-military operations officer of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said on Thursday, October 20.Jan-jan said the rebel group suffered casualties in Carabalan and he was tasked to carry one of the firearms of his eight wounded com...

A simulation exercise to boost emergency response was conducted at the Banago seaport in Bacolod City Wednesday, October 19.*PCG photoThe Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District Western Visayas conducted simulation exercises at the Banago seaport in Bacolod City Wednesday, October 19, to ensure the preparedness of various stakeholders in case of sea emergencies and oil spills.The scenario in the exercise showed a collision of two vessels that resulted to casualties and oil spill.Personnel of the Coast Guard immediately responded to the scene, conducting search and rescue operations, as well as containment of the oil spill.The exercise was observed by Commodore Edgar Ybañez, commander of PCG District Western Visayas.He commended the PCG personnel for their readiness to res...

Members of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the proposed social pension for senior citizens and PWDs.*SP photoMembers of the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved the proposed social pension for indigent senior citizens and persons with disabilities during their regular session Wednesday, October 19.Councilor Celia Flor, chair of the SP committee on senior citizens and veterans affairs, said this is her promise to the citizens during the campaign period, and she is very thankful to her colleagues for supporting the passage of the measure.Flor, one of the main proponents of the measure, said there is an ongoing validation and updating of the senior citizens' database in the city to determine their actual number.Under the ordinance, the city government ...

The man who allegedly killed a teacher in Naga City, Cebu, was arrested Monday night, October 17, at the port of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.Nabbed was Elmar Alvarez Gemida, 24, of Barangay Ilaya, Calatrava town.He was linked to the killing of Jhun Leo Panares of Inuboran Elementary School in Barangay Inuboran, Naga, on Sunday, October 16. The victim was found with stab wounds inside the teacher’s office.Lt. Col. Jesus Mesahon, San Carlos police chief, said that the suspect used the victim’s motorcycle to travel to the province through a roll-on, roll-off vessel after the killing.He was intercepted after he was supposed to fetch his live-in partner at the seaport.He was unaware that the authorities had already reached out to his live-in partner for his arrest....

The area where a man was found dead in Barangay Granada.*A construction worker was found dead in front of a school at Crossing Carmen, Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, on Tuesday morning, October 18.The fatality was identified as 21-year-old Erwin Abitong, who succumbed to a lone stab wound to the chest.Capt. John Christopher Masangkay, Police Station 5 chief, said the unidentified suspect may have been monitoring the victim’s whereabouts.He said they have yet to establish the motive for the killing, but the victim’s family claimed that he received threats through messages on his Facebook messenger in September.The police also said that the victim’s family claimed he had no enemies and no criminal record.Investigation is still ongoing.*

Evacuees in their makeshift home in a community church in Himamaylan City.*A community church in Barangay Caradioan, Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental opened its doors to residents who were caught in the crossfire following a series of clashes between government troopers and rebels.At least 27 families or 125 individuals from Sitio Campayas, Barangay Carabalan, have sought refuge at the church.Among them was nine-month-pregnant Genijade Caseres, who was forced to leave her home, along with her three children, on October 6 that marked the first day of the encounters.She recalled that they quickly scampered to safety after hearing the loud gunfire.She, her family, and the others boarded a canter truck to Barangay Caradioan, where they were welcomed by a pastor and his ...

Part of the telephone cable wires recovered from the suspect.*Binalbagan PNP photoA Bacolodnon was arrested after he was allegedly caught stealing telephone cable wires in Barangay Sto. Rosario in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, October 13.The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Ilkie Garcia of Casilingan 2, Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City. His three companions escaped.Police said the technician of RC Yulo Telephone System Incorporated informed them regarding the robbery incident, which led to the arrest of the suspect during their pursuit operation.Recovered from him was 510 meters of telephone cable wires worth P688,000.The suspect is now detained by the Binalbagan police.*