Negros Oriental

Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño*Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño has concluded his tour of duty as director of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region after nearly four months at the helm, during which police reported more than P228 million worth of suspected illegal drugs and smuggled cigarettes seized across the region.Cardiño served as PRO-NIR regional director from May 8 until Sept. 6.During the period, PRO-NIR conducted 792 anti-illegal drug operations that resulted in the arrest of 1,039 alleged drug personalities.Police reported confiscating 21,552.56 grams, or more than 21.5 kilograms, of suspected shabu and 1,442.50 grams of marijuana with a combined standard drug price of P146,730,528.40.Another 590 operations against cigarette smuggling resulted in 33 arrests and ...

Brig. Gen. Rudecindo Reales*Brig. Gen. Rudecindo Reales formally assumed leadership of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region succeeding Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño on Monday, Sept. 7,The turnover ceremony was held at Camp Gen. Rafael T. Crame in Quezon City, where Reales officially took command of PRO-NIR and its personnel.Reales is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 1996 “Kaagapay.”He takes over the regional police office as it continues to strengthen its organizational structure, law enforcement operations and public safety services across Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor and Bacolod City.PRO-NIR said Reales will focus on maintaining peace and order, preventing and solving crimes, enforcing the law, addressing security thre...

The distribution of aid in Sagay City.*The Department of Social Welfare and Development  Negros Island Region had disbursed over ₱309.6 million in Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance to sugarcane farmers affected by the Red-Stiped Soft Scale Insects  as  of Friday,  September 4,  DSWD NIR Regional Director Arwin Razo said Saturday.A total of 30,097 beneficiary farmers across Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental have received financial aid to date, he said.Negros Occidental accounted for the vast majority of the assistance, with ₱255,306,275 distributed among 24,727 farmers.The municipality of La Castellana saw the highest allocation in the province, where 4,643 beneficiaries received a total of ₱47,938,975.In Negros Oriental, 5,370 affected sugarcane farmers r...

The house where the couple were killed.*PNP photoThe United States Embassy in Manila has authorized the autopsy of the body of a 72-year-old American national who was shot dead along with his Filipina wife inside their rented house in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City,  early Wednesday, September 2.Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), said  on Thursday that the embassy issued the necessary certification after the victim's brother gave his consent."We are expecting the autopsy to be carried out today and we hope the results will aid investigators in their probe on the shooting-to-death of Mark Duell and his Filipina wife," Polinar said.The body of the victim's wife, 71-year-old Elsie Duell, had already un...

Roel and Janice Degamo in happier times* Congresswoman Janice Degamo FB page photoThree men linked to the March 2023 Pamplona Massacre, which claimed the life of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others, have been convicted of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, Rep. Janice Degamo (Neg. Or., 3rd District) announced Thursday evening, Sept. 3.In a statement posted on her official Facebook page, Degamo—the widow of the late governor—revealed that two of the convicted individuals were sentenced to reclusion perpetua, the maximum penalty under Philippine law."Today, my heart carries both pain and hope," Degamo wrote. "For others, this may simply be another court decision. But for me, as Roel’s wife, it means so much more.”While expressing gratitude ...

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expects to distribute over ₱1 billion in Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) aid to small farmers and workers whose sugarcane crops have been damaged by Red-Striped Soft Scale Insects (RSSI) in Negros Island, Regional Director Arwin Razo said on Thursday, Sept. 3.Disbursements will continue in Amlan, Negros Oriental, as well as Sagay City, La Carlota City, Talisay City, Kabankalan City, E.B. Magalona, Calatrava, and Hinoba-an in Negros Occidental, he said.Bacolod City has also submitted its list of affected farmers and workers for inclusion in the program.As of Aug. 28, the agency has already released ₱280.8 million to 27,304 beneficiaries in the Negros Island.Small farmers in Negros Occidental have received  ₱10,325 ea...

DOG NIR photoMore than 248,000 children aged six to 59 months in the Negros Island Region remained unvaccinated against measles and rubella as of Aug. 28, data from the Department of Health-Negros Island Region showed.A total of 189,462 children have been vaccinated out of the combined target population of 437,586 in Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, equivalent to about 43.3 percent coverage.Negros Occidental recorded the highest coverage at 54 percent, with 132,141 of its 244,757 target children vaccinated, leaving 112,616 still to be reached.Bacolod City posted 43.5 percent coverage after vaccinating 21,233 of its 48,839 target children, with 27,606 still unvaccinated.Negros Oriental had vaccinated 34,156 of its 136,717 target population, ...

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...