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A Hinigaranon was found dead in Hacienda Silverio, Brgy. Pilar, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, Monday morning, August 28.Rex Seraspe, 42, a laborer, was found dead on a bamboo bed inside an abandoned sacada quarters in Hacienda Silverio.There were no wounds or signs of assault that were noticed on the body of the victim, the police said.The victim was declared dead by the attending physician at the Hinigaran Municipal Health Office.*

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office arrested 14 suspects and seized P438,430 worth of suspected shabu from August 20 to 26.NOCPPO said 13 anti-illegal drug operations were conducted and suspected shabu weighing 61.98 grams were seized.They also arrested six most wanted individuals and 42 other wanted persons in Negros Occidental, the report said.Twenty illegal gambling suspects were also arrested, it added.*

The police arrested the third most wanted person in the province in Brgy. Dos Hermanas, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, August 28.Nehru Dela Cruz, 45, was arrested by the police by virtue of a warrant of arrest for violation of Republic Act 7610 for lascivious conduct.The warrant was issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 41 Judge Fernand Castro in Bacolod City on August 18 and a similar warrant was issued August 22 by Branch 45 Judge Karen Joy Tan.The arrest was led by the tracker team of the Talisay Police with Murcia Municipal Police, Regional Mobile Force Command, and Maritime Group operatives.No bail has been recommended in both cases, the police said.Dela Cruz is now detained at the Talisay Police Station.Meanwhile, the fourth most wanted person in ...

VMC held a mass Tuesday morning to usher in the new milling season*.Victorias Milling Co. will begin milling operations on Wednesday, August 30, despite a fire that hit some of its facilities on Sunday evening, VMC President Linley Retirado assured planter stakeholders on Tuesday.VMC, the biggest sugar refinery in the country located in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, will begin accepting canes at 7 a.m. on Wednesday as scheduled, he said."We will stand by our commitment to join all sugar industry stakeholders to open the milling season on September 1," Retirado said, adding that this was relayed by management to Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona.Azcona visited VMC on Monday morning to assess the situation.“Initial reports show that the fire consumed t...

The Department of Education in Western Visayas hopes to surpass the previous number of enrollees in public schools in the region when classes open.Classes in public schools were scheduled to open Tuesday, August 29, but in many areas they have been suspended because of foul weather.A DepEd-6 report showed that as of Saturday, August 26, the total number of enrollees in all public and private schools in the region were 1,689,961. However, DepEd-6 Spokesperson Hernani Escullar said that they are still hopeful that the number of enrollees will increase.They are still waiting for new updates from the schools, he said.There were 1,504,109 students enrolled in public schools, 183,126 in private schools, and 2,726 in state universities and colleges in Western Visayas as of Saturda...

Firefighters conduct rescue operations in San Enrique, Negros Occidental, as flood waters rise.*San Enrique BFP photoActing Negros Occidental Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer has ordered the suspension of work at provincial government offices on Tuesday, August 29, due to inclement weather caused by Typhoon Goring.Mayors in Negros Occidental towns and cities also suspended classes, and in some areas work in government offices as well, to ensure the safety of residents with the state weather bureau PAGASA reporting more rains expected.Ferrer, who will he acting governor of Negros Occidental starting Tuesday until Friday, said work at the provincial government offices will be suspended, except for the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Office, hospitals, and all personnel involved in relief...

The Bago City Hospital in Bago City, Negros Occidental, temporarily halted some of its services as the hospital grounds and the building’s first floor were flooded because of heavy rains brought by Typhoon Goring on Monday, August 28.In a post on the Facebook page of the hospital, they said that they will be temporarily halting admission, outpatient, and consultation services.They will also temporarily not cater to emergency cases as well as X-ray and laboratory services.As of 9 a.m. of Aug. 28, the hospital had no beds available for patients.The hospital also advised the public to wait for further notice on when it will resume its full services.*

A Bacolod firefighter rescues a flood victim in Barangay Pahanocoy*BFP Bacolod photoHeavy rains induced by Typhoon Goring caused flooding that affected 9,224 families with 31,290 members in Bacolod City and eight other local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental on Sunday and Monday, August 27 and 28.The heavy rains also destroyed some houses, triggered landslides and caused a road to cave in.Goring was not directly hitting Negros Occidental and Bacolod City but was enhancing the Southwest Monsoon that is expected to bring rains for the next three days, the state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday.Flooding hit 14 barangays in Bacolod City affecting 1,772 families with 6,178 members, of which 6,048 sought shelter in evacuation centers, Dr. Anna Maria Laarni M. Pornan, ...

Two persons were hacked to death and three others were injured in Negros Occidental on Sunday, August 27, the police said.A sacada (seasonal farm worker) was hacked to death with a cane cutter while two others were injured by their co-worker at Hacienda Candelaria, Brgy. Baliwagan, San Enrique, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.The suspect was identified by the police Raymond Anacleto Langote, a sacada worker from Brgy Osorio, Culasi, Antique.Killed was Gilbert Langote Brinio, 24, also of Brgy. Osorio, Culasi, while injured and hospitalized were Elmer Langote and Ronaldo Anacleto.Police investigation showed that the victim was sleeping inside their barracks when the suspect for no apparent reason hacked him.Elmer and Ronaldo tried to pacify the suspect but were also hacked and injure...

The filing of COCs at Robinsons Place in Bacolod City on Monday.*Nico Delfin photoHeavy rain did not stop a large number of candidates for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) from filing their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City on Monday, August 28, election officials said.The filing of COCs that started Monday will end on Saturday, September 2.But the campaign period for the October 30 polls will be from October 19 to 28, yet.Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria warned against premature campaigning, stressing that the Comelec will file charges against violators.Ananoria said there was a large turnout of candidates during the first day of the filing of COCs at Comelec...