Negros Oriental

The house where the couple were killed.*PNP photoPolice are investigating the fatal shooting and alleged robbery of an elderly American national and his wife, whose bodies were found inside their home in Purok Katubhan, Barangay Bajumpandan, early Wednesday morning.The victims were identified as Mark Duell, a 72-year-old American citizen, and his 71-year-old Filipina wife, Elsie Duell. They both sustained gunshot wounds in the attack that occurred around 4 a.m., the  police reported.The Dumaguete City Police Station received a 911 call reporting the incident at approximately 6:08 a.m.The couple’s 53-year-old stay-in caretaker told investigators she woke up around 4 a.m. and saw an unidentified male intruder inside the house. The suspect was reportedly wearing a bonnet and c...

The police are investigating the violent killing of an American national and a Filipina in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, early this morning, Sept. 2.Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office,  said they were shot at approximately 4 a.m. and it was officially reported to the Dumaguete City Police Station around 6:08 a.m.Both victims were residents of the barangay.Preliminary findings reveal that two unidentified male assailants carried out the attack before quickly fleeing the scene.The Dumaguete City Police Station has since identified a person of interest in connection with the case. While the primary motive behind the attack remains undetermined, law enforcement teams are actively conducting follow-up oper...

PCol. Jonathan B. Abella and PBrig. Gen. Romano V. Cardiño (left) at the assumption of command rites.*PNP screengrabPCol. Jonathan B. Abella officially assumed command as the Acting Provincial Director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) during a ceremony held at Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City, on Tuesday, Sept. 1PBrig. Gen. Romano V. Cardiño, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR), presided over the ceremony.Prior to his new assignment, Abella served at the Directorate for Police Community Relations, where he specialized in strengthening police-community engagement and promoting responsive, people-centered law enforcement,  a press release from the PRO NIR said. In...

 The establishment of the Philippine Science High School Negros Island Region Campus (PSHS-NIRC) is seen to spur another growth area in Bacolod City, with preparations underway for its opening in school year 2027-2028.Barangay Granada in the eastern part of Bacolod has been identified as the site of the PSHS-NIRC earlier this month.“Groundbreaking will be in November as scheduled,” Secretary to the Mayor Jose Marty Go said Monday, Sept. 1.Mayor Greg Gasataya received a letter dated Aug.  4 and was formally informed by Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-PSHS System Executive Director Ronnalee Orteza on Aug. 5 that Bacolod City has been selected to host the newest PSHS campus.Spanning almost 10 hectares, the PSHS-NIRC will become the PSHS System’s largest c...

The newly designated officer-in-charge police director of Negros Oriental and six new police chiefs have assumed their posts following the relief of their predecessors over the weekend, an official said Monday, August 31.Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), said that Col. Lito Patay reported to the province on Sunday after being designated by Negros Island Region police director Brig. Gen. Roman Cardiño to replace Col. Timmar Alam."Col. Patay and the new police chiefs assumed their posts on Sunday even without an official relief order as yet to ensure continuity of the vacated posts," Polinar said.Relieved effective Aug. 28 were Lt. Col. Joeson Parallag of Bayawan City; Lt. Col. Romeo Cubo of Guihulngan City; Capt. Mary J...

Jason Michael Hill was arrested in Dumaguete City.*BI photoThe  Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested a 45-year-old American wanted by U.S. authorities for an "underlying dangerous drugs charge" in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, it reported on Saturday, August 29.BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) agents, working with U.S. law enforcement agents, the Philippine National Police, as well as local police and maritime authorities, apprehended Jason Michael Hill, 45, at Purok St. John, Barangay Calindagan, on Ausust 11, the BI said..Hill is allegedly wanted in the United States for parole violation, with an underlying dangerous drugs charge, based on an outstanding warrant issued by the Sacramento County Superior Court in California.BI records further showed that Hill entered the Ph...

ECT payout in Sipalay City.*DSWD photoThe Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has disbursed a total of ₱280,891,800 in Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance to smallholder sugarcane farmers affected by the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) infestation across the Negros Island Region (NIR) as of Friday, August 28.A total of 27,304 farmer-beneficiaries in  Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental have received financial support to help mitigate income losses caused by the crop infestation,  DSWD NIR Director Arwin Razn said Sunday.Negros Occidental recorded the highest number of recipients, with ₱229,153,050 released to 22,194 farmers spanning 14 cities and municipalities.La Castellana registered the largest allocation in the province at ₱47,938,9...

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region will deploy 1,632 police personnel across the region for the observance of National Heroes Day on Monday, Aug. 31.PRO-NIR said personnel will be positioned in strategic areas, including major thoroughfares, transportation hubs, public places, memorial sites and locations where increased public movement and gatherings are expected.The deployment will include fixed, mobile, motorcycle and foot patrols, traffic assistance, checkpoints, border control operations, Civil Disturbance Management units and Reactionary Standby Support Forces.Another 14 personnel from other units and 311 force multipliers will support the security operations.Police personnel will also assist motorists and commuters, manage traffic, monitor public activit...

Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office Director Col. Timmar Alam and six police chiefs were relieved from their posts following simultaneous operations against alleged illegal numbers games in six areas of the province, the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said.PRO-NIR said the reliefs were carried out under the Philippine National Police’s “one-strike policy” on illegal gambling after the  Regional Special Operations Group personnel arrested six individuals in Bayawan City, Guihulngan City, Sibulan, Pamplona, Tayasan and Ayungon on Friday, Aug. 28.The operations were conducted from around 10:14 a.m. to 1:34 p.m. and targeted individuals allegedly soliciting and collecting bets for illegal numbers games in violation of Republic Act 9287.Police recovered bettin...

Lechon is the ultimate centerpiece of Filipino town fiestas and other special events, but prices have gone up in Negros Oriental due to African swine fever (ASF) cases.*PNA /Judy Flores Partlow photoThe Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Negros Oriental has allowed local government units (LGUs) cleared of African swine fever (ASF) to resume selling live hogs and pork, subject to veterinary requirements, an official said Friday, August 28.Acting PVO Chief Vernon Lumbania said Valencia town has been cleared to sell live pigs and pork outside its boundaries following an inspection and the absence of new ASF cases recently."No new ASF cases have been reported in Valencia over the past weeks, and we are now allowing hog farmers to resume their businesses," Lumbania said.Howev...