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The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) has launched a dual criminal and administrative investigation into police personnel accused of extorting money from a hopeful recruit, sparking a stern warning from leadership that the "PNP badge is not for sale."The probe follows a complaint filed with the Bacolod City Police Office, where a PNP applicant alleged that a police personnel demanded and received cash in exchange for entry into the service. The complainant stated that the suspect later returned to demand even more money.Authorities are urging other potential victims of such recruitment scams to come forward.PBrig. Gen. Romano V. Cardiño, PRO NIR regional director, emphasized that the recruitment process is strictly merit-based, governed by transparency and e...

Valerie Anne Hollero*The new owner of PrimeWater is set to undertake a modernization program to improve water services in Bacolod City, Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced on Tuesday, June 9.He also announced that Valerie Anne Hollero, the former regional vice president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. in Western Visayas, is the new general manager of the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA).Crystal Bridges Holding Corp., owned by retail tycoon Lucio Co, bought PrimeWater from billionaire Manuel Villar Jr.The new owner will meet with BACIWA officials on June 16 to present a modernization program for the Bacolod water system, Benitez said.They will discuss improvements geared toward ensuring 24/7, high-pressure, quality water,...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (right).* Richard Malihan file photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is pushing for a coalition candidate for governor of Negros Occidental in 2028, but no final decision has been made yet, Deputy House Speaker Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Tuesday, June 9.“There is no final choice for 2028, we would like to keep it at that,” Benitez said following a meeting of the leaders of Love Negros and the United Negros Alliance on Monday.Benitez said present at the meeting aside from him and the governor were Negros Occidental representatives Alfredo Marañón III (2nd District), Javier Miguel Benitez (3rd District), Jeffrey Ferrer (4th District), Emilio Yulo (5th District), Mercedes Alvarez (6th District), and Manuel Frederick Ko (Aban...

The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command of the New People’s Army-Northern Negros Guerrilla Front claimed responsibility for the killing of a former barangay tanod in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Friday night, June 5.In a statement dated June 9, the rebel group claimed that the victim, identified as Momarlito Alingasa, was killed at around 7:50 p.m. in Sitio Pison, Brgy. Minautok.The NPA alleged that the victim was an intelligence asset of the Philippine National Police in Calatrava and the 79th Infantry Battalion.It also alleged that the victim was involved in illegal drugs and gun-for-hire activities in Calatrava.The rebel group claimed that a firefight occurred during the incident and that several items were recovered from the victim, including alleged drug paraphernalia, an i...

The Negros Occidetal Capitol all set for Independence Day.* CPG photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government will continue with its four-day compressed workweek, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, June 9.He said it will be up to the town and city governments of Negros Occidental to decide what work schedule to adopt. “It will be their call," he said.The provincial government will keep the four-day workweek schedule because "our personnel have gotten used to a three-day rest period, which I think personally is a big help to our well-being," Lacson said.Lacson said they will observe its long-term effectiveness.The Negros Occidental provincial government went into a four-day workweek effective March 16 as part of energy conservation protocols mandated b...

The cellphone number  used in a false fire report in Bacolod City has been recorded and may be subjected to further investigation, the Bacolod City Fire Station said. City Fire Marshal FSupt. Jenny Mae Masip  on Tuesday condemned the false emergency report and fraudulent food delivery orders that occurred at an address in Villa Angela Subdivision, Brgy. Villamonte, on Monday night, June 8.Masip said the Bacolod City Fire Station received information at around 8:40 p.m. from the Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade about a reported residential fire in the area.Firefighters were immediately dispatched in accordance with emergency response protocols, but responders discovered that no fire had occurred.Further information gathered showed that the same address was alleged...

A Grade 7 student was found in possession of suspected drug paraphernalia inside a school in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, June 8.The incident happened at around 12:15 p.m., the police said.The Talisay City Police Station received a call from a teacher after the student council president reportedly saw an improvised tooter concealed in the minor’s pocket.Acting on the information, the teacher interviewed the student, who voluntarily retrieved the item from her pocket and showed it to school personnel.Responding police personnel proceeded to the school and took custody of the recovered item.Police said the minor was informed of the nature of the offense and her constitutional rights in a language she understood, in the presence of her guardian, personnel of...

The earthquake toppled this building in General Santos Monday morning.*Philippine Red Cross photoNegros Occidental is prepared to send its trained Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) teams to earthquake-hit areas in Mindanao, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday, July 8.“We are just waiting for the augmentation requests from the Office of Civil Defense,” he said.“Financial aid will follow after we get more information about damages and the number of people affected,” he said.Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said we do not know the extent of the damage yet, but local government units should also help the earthquake-hit areas.The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the number of fatalities from the m...

Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez  on Monday, June 8, said he  favors  the election of the country’s senators on a regional level to ensure that all regions in the country are properly represented.Benitez said that under the current system, where senators are elected nationally, the process inherently favors high-profile, popular individuals. As a result, genuine representation for each distinct region is often lost.Under Benitez’s proposal, two senators would be elected from each of the country’s 18 regions, bringing the total number of Senate seats to 36.However, while  many agree with his proposal implementing it would require  Charter Change, which would be difficult at this time, Benitez said.SENATE LEADERSHIP DISPUTEBenitez a...