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A 15-year girl died and nine others were injured in a vehicular accident in Purok Adana, Brgy Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9.The victims, who are from Brgy Magballo, Kabankalan, were on board a cargo truck driven by Nonito Menardo Dela Cruz, 62.The victims had gone to church and were travelling from Brgy Tabugon to Brgy Magballo when the brakes of the truck they were on suddenly malfunctioned and hit a germilina tree resulting in the death of the teen and the injury of her companions.The child reportedly fell off the truck and was pinned beneath one of its tires.*

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command commander.*PNA file photoThe few remaining members of the New People's Army (NPA) in the Visayas are now in disarray and getting tired of moving from one place to another as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) faces a leadership vacuum following the deaths of its founder Jose Maria Sison and key leaders.“Due to the leadership vacuum that the CPP–NPA is suffering coupled with the active support of the community to the security efforts of the government forces, the few remaining members of the terrorist group remain in disarray and with no clear direction," Visayas Command chief, Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, said in a statement Thursday, May 11.He said that the communist terrorists "are tired due to constant movement having no saf...

City Administrator Pacifico Maghari at the LTFRB head office in Quezon City on Wednesday.*The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) head office on Wednesday, May 10, directed its regional office in Western Visayas to expedite the issuance of provisional authorities (PAs) that will allow traditional jeepneys to continue operating in Bacolod City until December 31.Bacolod City Administrator Pacifico Maghari said he met with the LTFRB board members led by their chairman Teofilo Guadiz III at their head office in Quezon City.They assured that the issuance of PA applications at the regional office as requested and endorsed by the city will be expedited, Maghari said.The PAs will allow the traditional jeepneys to operate until December 31 as stated in an LT...

The Isabela municipal government is planning to file criminal charges against the dismissed acting treasurer of the town for malversation of public funds, Mayor Irene Montilla said Wednesday, May 10.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday dismissed Nenette M. Escarda from the service for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and malversation of public funds belonging to Isabela amounting to P6.4 million.Montilla said Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. suggested that the municipality file criminal charges against Escarda "because that is the only way she will be held liable and accountable for all the cash and checks that had gone missing while she was in possession of them".He recommended that the Isabela municipal government file criminal charges for malversation of public ...

Two missing children from Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City, were found in Kabankalan City, Wednesday, May 10.Mervelyn C. Niñal on Tuesday asked DIGICAST NEGROS to air her appeal for help after her sons aged 10 and 13 years old had not returned home since Sunday.Niñal said she then received a call on Wednesday morning that her sons were in the care of the Kabankalan City social welfare office so she went to pick them up.Her 13-year-old son said they left home to accompany a friend who wanted to return to his mother in Kabankalan City.They initially gathered scraps to earn money for food while they lived on the streets in Bacolod, he said.They then told the police that they were from Kabankalan and needed help to get home so they were turned over to the social welfare of...

The inflation rate for all income households in Negros Occidental declined further to 8.8 percent in April from 10.8 percent in March, the summary report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in Bacolod City showed.In February, the province’s inflation rate was at 12.4 percent while in January, 12.2 percent.Meanwhile, Bacolod City remained at the previous month’s inflation rate of 8.7 percent.“In Negros Occidental, the decrease in inflation rate for the month of April was due to the slight annual decrease in some of the commodities,” PSA-Negros Occidental said in its May 8 report approved for release on Wednesday by Luis Gonzales, chief statistical specialist.These include food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, housing, water, electricity,...

Timor-Leste has denied the request of suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. (Neg. Or., 3rd District) for political asylum, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported Tuesday night, May 9.Timor-Leste has given Teves five days to leave their country.“Today, the Ministry of Interior of Timor-Leste confirmed that Representative Teves' application for political asylum has been denied,” it said.“In accordance with the decision of the Timor-Leste Government, Representative Teves has been granted a period of five days to depart Timor-Leste. During this time, he also has the option to file an appeal regarding the decision,” it added.The DFA confirmed that Teves is currently in Dili, Timor-Leste, where he submitted his application for political asylum.The solon, who is implicate...

Personnel of Bacolod City Police Office Station 10 conduct mobile patrol along the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway in Barangay Cabug on Tuesday morning*All stations of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) are conducting round-the-clock mobile and foot patrol operations as part of the intensified security measures and anti-criminality campaign in the city.Col. Noel Aliño, acting city director, said on Tuesday, May 9, that he ordered the commanders of the 10 police stations and other units to increase visibility and set up standby points in their areas of jurisdiction.“This pertains to the program of Mayor (Alfredo Abelardo) Benitez for a safe and secure Bacolod City,” he added.Aliño said the command directive of Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, regional director of Poli...

A man was injured when a fire of unknown origin broke out at a residential compound in Barangay Bantayan in Dumaguete City on Tuesday.*A man was hurt in a fire of still unknown origin that destroyed residential homes and a warehouse in Barangay Bantayan in Dumaguete City on Tuesday, May 9.An initial report from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said they received a callout at around 12:35 p.m. regarding the fire.City fire marshal, Chief Insp. Marlon Chomling, said the blaze spread so fast and was difficult to contain due to the presence of highly flammable materials such as paint and thinner.“We had to call in help from the other fire stations and private volunteer groups and used foam to douse the fire as it would only get bigger with water,” he said.Initially, at le...

Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez *The Third District of Negros Occidental takes the lead in the celebration of the National Heritage Month this May as it hosts the Youth Forum on Heritage 2023 at Magikland in Barangay Guinhalaran, Silay City, May 16 to 18.Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) together with the local governments of Victorias, Silay, Talisay, E.B. Magalona and Murcia, with the special participation of Bacolod City, welcome the partnership with the Filipino Heritage Festival Inc. and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.The National Heritage Month has been observed annually since 2003, by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 439 and this year’s celebration carries the theme “Heritage: Change and Continuity”.The three-day forum wit...