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Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office cops arrested an alleged hitman in Brgy. Panala-an, Bais City, early Tuesday morning, August 15.Arrested was Allan Lagos Carcuevas, a police report said.The police said he was allegedly involved in an assassination attempt on a politician and was suspected to be involved in past shooting incidents in Mabinay, Bais, and other parts of the 1st and 2nd districts of Negros Oriental.The suspect was also identified as a contact person who hired local hitmen utilized to sow fear during past elections, the police added.Region 7 Police Director, BGen. Anthony Aberin, lauded the police for arresting the alleged hitman.The operation is part of PRO 7’s continuing manhunt operations against all criminals responsible for past lawlessness in Ne...

Eleven more former rebels graduated from elementary and junior high school through the Alternative Learning System at rites held in Bindoy town, Negros Oriental, on Tuesday, August 15.The 11 former rebels were once members of New People's Army, a press release from the 94th Infantry Battalion said.ALS is a parallel learning program that allows them to improve their functional and essential reading abilities and access comparable pathways to finish their basic education, it said.The graduation was also attended by 94IB Executive Officer Maj. Ryan Eve Comeso, Bindoy Mayor Eniego Jabagat, Neg. Or. Schools Division Superintendent Neri Ojastro, and ALS teachers from Jimalaud, Tayasan, Ayungon, and La Libertas towns.Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commanding Officer, said “they...

A watchman was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday afternoon, August 15.Arrested was Rendie Palom, of Hacienda Vista Alegre, Brgy. E. Lopez, the police reported.He was caught selling alleged illegal drugs worth P1,600 to a police poseur buyer.The police said they recovered seven grams of suspected shabu valued at P47,600 from the suspect.The suspect is detained at the Silay City Police Station.*

There were zero pig deaths from various diseases for the fifth straight day in Negros Occidental onTuesday, August 15, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.There have been 17,801 pig deaths in Negros Occidental from African swine fever, hog cholera and other diseases this year that have caused losses of P199,577,900, the Provincial Animal Biosecurity Incident Management Team (PABIMT) reported on Tuesday.The pig deaths occurred in 153 barangays in 20 local government units in Negros Occidental, it added.Affected hog raisers are 4,285, the PABIMT reported.*

Pruned cocolisap hit coconut trees in Mailum, Bago City.*Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has ordered the implementation of emergency measures to control and manage the spread of aspidiotus regidus, also known as cocosilap, to protect the livelihoods of 13,958 coconut farmers in Negros Occidental.Lacson issued Executive Order 23-36, Series of 2023 signed on August 10 and released Tuesday, August 15, designating the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) as the lead agency in the battle against the cocolisap or scale pests that have been destroying coconut trees.Verified reports show that cocolisap has hit 5,000 coconut trees in Negros Occidental, but the number could be as high as 30,000, PCA Regional Manager Neil Melencion said.Negros Occidental has 5,038,723 coconut trees, 2,500,000 ...

More than a thousand Negrenses joined the “BIDAlagan: A Negrense’s Advocacy Run Against Illegal Drugs” at the Capitol grounds in Bacolod City on Tuesday, August 15.BIDAlagan 2023, aims to establish and strengthen partnerships with local government units, agencies, and stakeholders in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in support of anti-drug endeavors and to promote a healthy lifestyle, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.“I urge everyone to continue supporting and raising awareness about the detrimental effects of dangerous drugs, not only through this event but also in various other ways,” he told the participants of the advocacy run.Participation in the illegal drug trade and substance use arises from a conscious but misguided choice, he said.“Alongside our drug-cl...

Former rebels who surrendered to the 15th Infantry Battalion graduated from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program in Brgy Poblacion, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, recently.Four rebels and their dependents graduated from the ALS program of the Department of Education at rites held at the Cauayan Arts Center on August 10, a press release from the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion said.The ALS Program employs a contextualized non-formal curriculum that is closely aligned with the K to 12 curriculum for basic education.The curriculum takes into consideration the prior learning experiences of the students and incorporates functional literacy indicators across six interconnected learning strands, the press release said.This shows that age is not a hindrance in acquiring knowle...

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) reported on Tuesday, August 15, that 32 suspects were arrested in 23 anti-illegal drugs operations in the province from August 6 to 12.They seized 121.3 grams of suspected shabu worth about P623,696 last week, the NOPPO said.The NOPPO also reported the arrest of 92 individuals in 28 anti-illegal gambling operations and the confiscation of P21,318 in bet money.NOCPPO has also arrested 21 most wanted persons from 21 operations in the province and 71 other wanted persons from 72 operations, the records added.Meanwhile, Provincial Police Director Col. Leo Pamittan thanked everyone for recognizing the success of NOCPPO as the Best Police Provincial Office in Western Visayas.“To the Negrenses, we offer this success to rec...

USLS Chancellor Minnie Obstaculo Chua*The University of St. La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod City has hired its 1st Lay University Chancellor Minnie Obstaculo Chua, effective Tuesday, August 15.This appointment follows a selection process, culminating in unanimous approval by the USLS Board of Trustees through a referendum vote on August 10, a press release from USLS said.A distinguished alumna of St. Joseph's High School La Salle (SJHS LS) in 1988, Chua earned her degree in Bachelor of Science in Commerce- Accounting, Magna Cum Laude at USLS.Chua's professional background spans the academe and the banking industry, culminating in her noteworthy position as the president and chief operating Officer of Victorias Milling Company and its diverse subsidiaries.The USLS is enthusia...

One of the whale sharks spotted in Sagay City.*Four whale sharks, known as gentle giants or butandings, have been spotted swimming in the waters of Cadiz and Sagay cities in Negros Occidental since last week.There is one adult whale shark that is about 27 feet long and three juveniles measuring about 10 to 15 feet in length that have been swimming back and forth from Daga in Cadiz City to Himoga-an in Sagay City, which is an about 7-kilometer stretch, Jose Roberto Togle, Sagay Marine Reserve environment management specialist 2, said Tuesday, August 15.The whale sharks do not harm humans and they feed on krill, or tiny shrimps, he said.The Sagay City Bantay Dagat has been monitoring the whale sharks’ movements to ensure their safety, Togle said.The whale shark has been l...