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Councilor Al Victor Espino* The City Light photoThe Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Good Government will conduct a consultation on the technical aspects of a recommendation to authorize the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that  would allow Victorias City to deliver its residual waste to the Bacolod sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa, Councilor Al Victor Espino said Sunday, July 5.The Solid Waste Management Board of Bacolod City has already approved Victorias' request to dispose of its residual waste at the sanitary landfill, and the proposal has been submitted to the City Council.Lara Ann Garcia, officer-in-charge of the Victorias City Environment and Natural Resources Office, said the residual waste they are seeking permissio...

Arby Villaruz being awarded his prize by Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante (right).*Cadiz PIO photoA 23-year-old tapasero (sugarcane cutter) with no formal training defied the odds to claim the grand prize at the Negros Island Region (NIR)-wide painting competition held in Cadiz City on July 1. Arby Villaruz, a resident of Barangay Jerusalem in Cadiz City, took home the P100,000 top prize after the panel of judges unanimously selected his masterpiece.The art tilt was a major highlight of Cadiz’s 59th Charter Anniversary celebration, which ran from June 27 to July 5.For Villaruz, the victory is a life-changing milestone.As the eldest of four siblings, his daily life has been defined by poverty and intense sacrifice. Unable to afford a college education, he to...

A barangay tanod commander was killed while another tanod was injured after they were allegedly stabbed by a man during a fiesta celebration in Bago City early Sunday, July 5.Police identified the fatality only as “Jose,” 46, while the injured victim was identified as  “Restom,” 33.The incident happened at around 12:15 a.m. in Purok Surgom 1, Brgy. Bacong.Authorities identified the suspect as alias “Aming,” 45, a resident of the same barangay.Investigation showed the two tanods were providing security during a dance at the purok fiesta when they responded to assist a female attendee who reportedly became dizzy.Police said the suspect suddenly stabbed Jose on the left side of his body before fleeing.Restom chased the suspect in an attempt to arrest him but was also ...

A 40-year-old man was found dead with a head wound in Sipalay City on Saturday morning, July 4.Police identified the victim only by the alias “Christian,” an unemployed resident of Brgy. Canturay.His body was discovered at around 5 a.m. in Purok Skid 8, Brgy. Nabulao.Police  investigation showed that residents found the victim lying on the ground with a steel sledgehammer beside his head.Personnel of the Sipalay City Police Station responded to the scene after receiving a report from the barangay chairman.The victim’s body was brought to the Sipalay City Infirmary for post-mortem examination.Police are conducting further investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death.*

(L-R, seated) Paco Cojuangco of Central Azucarera de Tarlac; Dr. Ma. Lourdes Almodiente, SRA OIC-Deputy Administrator for RDE; former SRA Board Member Lito Sandoval; LUZONFED President Cornelio Toreya; and Victor De Jesus, Manager of URC Balayan. (L-R, standing) Engr. Laverne Olalia, SRA RDE Manager III; Juanjo Araneta of Central Azucarera de Tarlac; SRA Board Member Dave Sanson; SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona; and Jay Flores of LUZONFED.*SRA photoA coordinated anti-pest campaign has slashed red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestations in Luzon sugar farms, prompting  growers and millers to   pledge “total support” for the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).Sugar farmers and millers from Luzon met with SRA officials in Tagaytay last week to discuss the R...

A 20-year-old farmer was shot dead by an unidentified suspect while preparing food for his live-in partner’s birthday celebration in San Carlos City late Friday night, July 3.Police identified the victim only by the alias “Jericho.”The shooting happened at around 11 p.m. in Sitio Balangbang, Brgy. Codcod.The San Carlos City police said the victim was making rice cakes when a single burst of gunfire was heard outside their kitchen.He sustained gunshot wounds to the right temple and neck and was rushed by the San Carlos City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to the San Carlos City Hospital, where he was declared dead.Police said the suspect fled immediately after the attack.Investigators recovered three spent 12-gauge shotgun shells from the crime scene an...

Law enforcers  arrested a high-value individual and seized P367,200 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Manapla, Negros Occidental, on Friday afternoon, July 3.The suspect was identified as alias “Inday,” 43, a resident of the Relocation Site in Brgy. Purisima.The operation was conducted at around 2:31 p.m. by personnel of the Negros Occidental Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Manapla police, Regional Intelligence Unit-NIR, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.Police said the suspect allegedly sold a sachet of suspected shabu to an undercover officer in exchange for P500.Authorities recovered three sachets and one knot-tied plastic bag containing about 54 grams of suspected shabu.Also seized were the buy-bust money, a black coin purse, an...

A Bureau of Jail Management and Penology employee was killed while two others were injured in a collision involving two motorcycles in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, on Thursday night, July 3.Police identified the fatality as alias “Jonathan,” 32,  a BJMP employee  assigned at the Victorias City Jail and a resident of Cadiz City.Injured were alias “Matthew,” 25, the driver of the other motorcycle, and alias “Ron,” 29, Jonathan’s back rider.The road incident happened at around 9:40 p.m. along the national highway near Simag in Brgy. Alicante.Initial investigation showed that Matthew was driving a Honda XRM motorcycle from Brgy. Alicante toward Brgy. Pasil while occupying the inner lane.Jonathan was driving a Royal Enfield motorcycle in the same direction alo...

Police arrested the Negros Island Region’s fifth  most wanted person during a manhunt operation in Silay City on Saturday morning, July 4.The accused was identified by the alias “Al,” 47, a resident of Brgy. Purisima, Manapla.He was arrested at around 10:50 a.m. at the Yolanda Housing project in Brgy. E. Lopez by personnel from the Silay City Police Station, Negros Occidental Provincial Intelligence Unit, Provincial Intelligence Team, and Regional Intelligence Unit-NIR.Police said the accused was apprehended by virtue of a warrant of arrest for murder.Authorities alleged that he is a gun-for-hire who was involved in a drug-related shooting incident in Silay City in 2024.Police records also show that he was previously arrested in Victorias City in 2022 for violation...