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Col. Noel Calderon AliñoCol. Noel Calderon Aliño is no longer Bacolod City police director in an acting capacity.He has been designated city director in a permanent capacity effective June 21, a Philippine National Police 6 order released Tuesday, July 4, said.His designation was by command of PBrig. Gen. Sidney Navarro Villaflor, WV police regional director.Aliño, 51, has been acting director of the Bacolod City Police Office since April 18.He is a 1998 graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy and a native of Isabela province.Aliño also has a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminology from the Emilio Aguinaldo College in Manila, a Master’ in Public Administration from the University of La Salette in Santiago City and a Master’s in Public Management from the Dev...

CENECO acting general manager Arnel Lapore*The Central Negros Electric Cooperative board members and acting general manager support the call of six mayors for the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to temporarily suspend the CENECO and Primelectric Holdings Inc. joint venture agreement (JVA) plebiscite pending verification of the list of voters.CENECO acting general manager Arnel Lapore said on Tuesday, July 4, that they support the move because there is basis for the mayors’ request for cleansing of the list of voters.The plebiscite is being held for CENECO member-consumer-owners to vote “yes” or “no” to the JVA.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday that they are asking for a one month suspension to allow for verification of the names of the CENE...

A telecommunications firm filed a complaint for violation of the Anti Fencing Law against the owners and employees of a junkshop in Bacolod City, where stolen cell site batteries were recovered, before the Office of the Bacolod City Prosecutor Tuesday afternoon, July 4.Named in the complaint were Dennis Lopez Coo Jr. and Daniel Lopez Coo, owners of DLC Junkshop at Mabini Street, Barangay 25, Bacolod City, its manger Rammely Abaring and Rodimar Juaneza, Col. Noel Aliño, Bacolod police director, said.The complaint was filed by Francis Cayot, a representative of Globe, who was assisted by the Bacolod City Police Office in the filing of the complaint.There were 136 Globe and Smart telecommunication batteries valued at P13,600,000 that were seized from the junkshop on June 29, the p...

Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas and Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (right)*Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas said on Tuesday, July 4, that he has withdrawn his declaration of Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran as persona non grata over the arrival of 80 Badjaos in his city last month.Treñas told DIGICAST NEGROS he withdrew his declaration of Familiaran as persona non grata for Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.Benitez on Monday said he had appealed to Treñas to lift the declaration as the arrival of the Badjaos from Bacolod in Iloilo was not the fault of Familiaran.The Bacolod mayor said he is thankful that Treñas withdrew the declaration.“All ends well…let’s move past this incident, we are neighbors and its incumbent on us to work together,” Benitez said.“I bear him...

Negros Occidental is the the biggest producer of sugar in the Philippines.*Nic Ledesma photoA House hearing and investigation on the proposal to allow industrial producers to directly import bottlers’ grade sugar would be appropriate, Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said on Monday, July 3.Benitez said he expects the sugar importation issue to be tackled during the House Committee on Agriculture hearings on proposed amendments to Sugar Industry Development Act (SIDA).“There will have to be a hearing and investigation in terms of what policy direction would be appropriate,” Benitez said.The Committee on Agriculture inquiry into the SIDA amendments is expected to be held in Bacolod after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ...

The Senate hearings on the proposed creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR) are expected to resume after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 24, Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ. , 3rd District) said Monday, July 3.Benitez is one of the authors of House Bill 7355, creating the Negros Island Region composed of the provinces of Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Siquijor, which was approved by the Lower House in March.The passage of a counterpart measure in the Senate is needed before the creation of the NIR can be signed into law by the president.They are just waiting for the Senate hearing, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito informed him that when the Senate resumes its sessions after the SONA the NIR will be taken up, Benitez sa...

Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez at a press conference on Monday, July 3.*Victorias City in Negros Occidental is set to partner with the National Museum of the Philippines for the establishment of a regional sugar museum.“The city will enter into a usufruct agreement with the National Museum of the Philippines to establish a regional museum that will focus on sugar heritage. It will be a sugar museum that Negros Occidental always wanted to have,” Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said on Monday, July 3.Negros Occidental, known as the sugar capital of the Philippines, produces about 60 percent of the country’s sugar output.This city also hosts the Victorias Milling Company, the largest refined sugar producer in the Philippines.“We need the approval of City Council to make this a re...

An alleged New People’s Army member was arrested for attempted murder in Brgy. Carol-an, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, July 2, the police reported Monday.The Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company served a warrant of arrest to Rufino Montesino, 74, of Brgy. Oringao, Kabankalan City, for attempted murder.The Philippine National Police-Western Visayas alleged Montesino was a member of the Central Negros 2- Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS).Bail recommended for Montesino was P120,000, the police said.The suspect is currently detained at the Kabankalan Police Station.*

Homicide, frustrated homicide, and physical injury charges were filed against a Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit member after he allegedly shot three persons, including a police officer, in Brgy. Alimango, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, July 1.The shooting resulted in the death of a bystander identified as Jeban Sayon, 18, and the injury ofPMSg. Teofesto Aburido, 46, and Jay-r Garganera, 34, the police reported.PMaj. John Ganzon, Escalante City police chief, said on Tuesday that the suspect Romualdo Abarido Jr. voluntarily surrendered at the police station after the incident in Brgy. Alimango, Saturday morning.Abarido is a member of CAFGU Active Auxilliary of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.Aburido was trying to pacify Michael Bitela...

A street-level target was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. 1, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Monday afternoon, July 3.Arrested was Mark Patrick Cabanero, 40, of Brgy. 1 in Kabankalan City, and seized from him was eight grams of suspected shabu valued at P54,400, the police reported Tuesday.The suspect is currently in the custody of Kabankalan police for alleged violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.*