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Department of Agriculture 6 OIC Executive Director Jose Albert BarrogoAbout 58,139 hogs raised in backyards in Western Visayas are covered by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), with a guaranteed indemnification of P709 million when affected by the African swine fever (ASF).PCIC 6 (Western Visayas) Manager Eva Ulie Laud, in an interview on Wednesday, said from June 2022 until June 15 this year, they have insured 26,913 fatteners owned by 4,556 hog raisers with risk exposure of P270 million.In the same period, 31,226 breeders owned by 13,652 farmers were covered with an exposure of P439 million.The insurance coverage is one year for breeders and four months for fatteners.Laud added that they have stopped accepting insurance applications because ASF cases have bee...

The accident at the Brgy. Mansilingan-Murcia Road.*BCPO photoA 9mm Armscor pistol was seized from a motorcycle driver who was allegedly drunk and accidentally collided with a tricycle at Bangga Adila, Brgy. Mansilingan-Murcia Road, Bacolod City, 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, June 27.The suspect was identified as Benjie Varona, 44, from Brgy. Abu-Abo, Murcia, Negros Occidental.The police said Varona while driving a Honda TMX 155 under the influence of alcohol collided with a tricycle, resulting in physical injuries.Rescuers while assisting the driver found a 9mm Armscor pistol with nine live ammunition in his waist, the police reported.When asked for the gun’s documents, the suspect failed to provide any, the police said.The police booked the suspect for reckless imprudence res...

The provincial Emergency Management Team is continuing to disinfect pigpens to prevent the spread of hog diseases.*A lot more barangays in Negros Occidental would have to be hit by pig deaths before a state of emergency can be declared, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, June 27.In fact somehow the situation has been contained with the daily pig deaths having decreased, he said.Pig deaths from various diseases have hit 144 barangays in 18 local government units in Negros Occidental, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported Tuesday, June 27.Negros Occidental pig deaths were at 14,738 or 9.74 percent of the province’s hog population, the PVO said.This has affected 2,967 pig raisers with P166,176,800 in losses as of Tuesday, the PVO added.The latest baran...

The Palarong Pambansa technical inspectors from the DepEd Central Office and Philippine Sports Commission met with Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday.*Richard Malihan photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, June 27, that he assured the Palarong Pambansa technical inspectors from the Department of Education Central Office and Philippine Sports Commission that Negros Occidental will be ready to host the 2024 national games if chosen.The technical inspectors met with the governor at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday.Negros Occidental along with Cebu City and Antique are bidding to host the 2024 Palarong Pambansa.“I just assured them that if chosen we will be ready to host the Palaro,” Lacson said.After their inspection of the provincial sports facilities, Negros...

The Supreme Court (SC) greenlighted the holding of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30 despite declaring the law resetting the polls unconstitutional.In a statement released late Tuesday, June 27, the tribunal said it "recognizes the legal practicality and necessity of proceeding with the conduct of the BSKE on the last Monday of October 2023, pursuant to the operative fact doctrine."The ruling was issued even as the SC en banc declared unconstitutional Republic Act (RA) 11935, the law which postponed the holding of the BSKE from the original schedule of Dec. 5, 2022 to the last Monday of October 2023.The decision said "the free and meaningful exercise of the right to vote, as protected and guaranteed by the Constitution, requires the holding of...

Two employees of the Negros Occidental Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) facing formal charges for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and malversation of public funds have waved their right to a formal investigation hearing.Joy P. Cardinal and Herminigildo A. Basilio, who both hold Agriculturist I positions at the OPA, said their replies denying the allegations against them will serve as their defense, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said Tuesday, June 27.Nellas said they will proceed with the investigation and will still give the two the option to submit their position papers and additional evidence. If they do not submit additional evidence the cases will be resolved based on the records at hand, Nellas said.Since Cardinal is a casual employee and t...

Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.*The Department of Justice (DOJ) has turned down the demand of the lawyers of fugitive Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. for the agency to recuse itself from the preliminary investigation on the murder of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.The camp of Teves, the alleged mastermind of the March 4 attack that also left nine others killed, wanted the investigation transferred to the Office of the Ombudsman which “can better serve the ends of justice by providing an even hand and a fair eye to the proceedings.”“The motion for inhibition was denied because for them, as a panel, they act independently,” Andres Manuel, one of Teves’ counsels, told reporters during the second probe on Tuesday, June 27.The third hearing is set on July 3, with the National Bureau of Investig...

Badjaos at the Bacolod BAYS Center Tuesday*The Bacolod City Anti-Mendicancy Team has “rescued” 53 Badjao indigenous people, including those who disappeared from the Sum-ag gym on Monday morning, City Social Welfare Officer Sally Abelarde said on Tuesday, June 27.The Badjao gypsies are being rounded up and will be sent back to their hometowns in Mindanao with the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, she said.Sum-ag Barangay Captain Rodney Carmona said 26 Badjaos who were rescued from the streets on Sunday and placed at the Sum-ag gym disappeared Monday morning.When they returned in the morning to bring them food they were gone, Carmona said.Abelarde said some of the missing Badjaos have since been “rescued” again by the Anti-Mendicancy Team.City ...

The P1.7 million in suspected shabu seized in Purok Tahong, Barangay 2, Bacolod City, Tuesday afternoon.*PNP photoThe police arrested six persons, including a college student, and seized P2.2 million worth of suspected shabu in buy-bust operations in six local government units in Negros Occidental from Sunday to Tuesday, June 25 to 27.In Bacolod City P1,734,000 worth of suspected shabu was confiscated from a college student in a buy-bust operation Tuesday afternoon, the police reported.The 19-year-old student from Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, was arrested by the police and seized were 50 heat-sealed sachets of suspected shabu weighing 255 grams, the police said.The police said they had been monitoring the suspect, tagged as a high-value target, for the past three weeks.Meanwh...

A police officer points to the area where the body of Jopoeny Morata was found.*A 50-year-old man was found dead in a sugarcane field in Brgy. Sag-ang, La Castellana town, Negros Occidental, on Monday, June 26.The body of Jopoeny Morata, 50, of Sag-ang was found wrapped in cement sacks with sand, and already in a state of decomposition, the police said.Jonathan Santiniaman, a farmer, saw the lifeless body of Morata while he was plowing the sugarcane field in Hacienda Cinchita.The victim was identified by his live-in partner Auring Callosa.The victim went home drunk, and created alarm and scandal on June 23. His stepsons Jay-r Callosa and Winnie Callosa tried to pacify him but a heated argument ensued, a police investigation report said.After the confrontation, the v...