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An official of the Negros Occidental Teachers Federation (NOTF) denied that the robbery of its liaison officer and two employees was an “inside job” or “hold-up me” incident.Romeo Camporaso, NOTF public information officer, said Friday, May 27, that there was even a commotion and the victims immediately asked for help from the security personnel and police who were at the Negros First CyberCentre.The riding-in-tandem suspects, as seen from the vehicle’s dash camera, carted away more than P600,000 from the victims who had just withdrawn the money from a nearby bank. They pointed a gun at the victims who were in the vehicle parked at the parking lot.Camporaso said they have closed-circuit television footage showing the suspects were following the victims' vehicle from their offic...

Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier presides over the Bacolod City Justice Zone detailed planning and budgeting session.*The Bacolod City Justice Zone held a detailed planning and budgeting session geared towards implementing programs for the swift and efficient administration of justice on Friday, May 27.The meeting of the Justice Zone in Bacolod City was joined by representatives of the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government and was presided by Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier of the Bacolod Regional Trial Court.They discussed the holding of seminars for the police on the rules on the use of body worn cameras and on the improvement of their writing of legal forms and affidavits.Javier said also among theirs...

A Bacolod Regional Trial Court judge sentenced two persons to life imprisonment on Friday, May 27, for the sale of illegal drugs to policemen.Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier of RTC Branch 52 sentenced Dennis Deocampo Barcillo to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole and to pay a fine of P1 million for the sale of shabu.Barcillo was also found guilty for possession of drugs and sentenced to 17 years and 8 months imprisonment as minimum, to 20 years as maximum and to pay a fine of P400,000.Barcillo was charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for the sale of .09 gram of shabu to a police poseur buyer for P500 at Purok Lerio, Baranagay Zone 6, Talisay City, on July 17, 2020.On his arrest 1.199 grams of shabu w...

Five persons have died from rabies in Negros Occidental this year, which is alarming, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, said Friday, May 27.He said 6,376 persons in Negros Occidental were also victims of animal bites from January to March this year.Those bitten who completed their post-exposure prophylaxis were 4,744, those who had incomplete treatment were 897, while those who had none were 659, Tumimbang said.Those bitten by dogs were 5,381, cats 958 and other animals 37, he said.The five who died probably did not seek treatment, he said.Tumimbang said the rabies cases are probably because at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a slowdown in the anti-rabies vaccination of animals.It is also possible that those bitten did not seek medical h...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Friday, March 27, called on fellow elected officials to support the national government by ensuring good governance in their respective Local Government Units.The governor issued the call as he congratulated president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice president-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on their victory and wished them success."The Filipino people have spoken decisively. Our next president and vice president were supported by majority of the electorate, a remarkable feat in our country’s presidential elections history," he said.They both were given a resounding mandate, he added."Our progress and recovery as a nation, to a great extent, rest on our commitment to our solemn duty and responsibility to serve God and people, in ac...

President Rodrigo Duterte speaks to supporters at a private gathering at Villa Olivia in Barangay Bubog, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Thursday night, May 26.*Bobby Rojas photoPresident Rodrigo Duterte thanked his Negrense supporters for their support and trust in him, and pledged to help those in need in whatever way he can even if he is no longer in office.“I would like to thank you for making me president, some of you here joined me in my journey to the presidency,” Duterte said, pointing out that he will cease to be president at noon of June 30.Duterte spoke to his Negrense supporters at a private gathering at Villa Olivia owned by the Yanson family, the owners of the biggest bus company in the country, in Barangay Bubog, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Thursday night, ...

Bacolod City mayor-elect Alfredo "Albee" Benitez takes his oath before Singcang-Airport Barangay Captain Rosinie Distrito on Thursday, May 26.*“Good is not good enough, we will do all we can to exceed people’s expectations” in the service of Bacolod.That was the promise of mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez who took his oath as the new chief executive of Bacolod City at Barangay Singcang Airport on Thursday, May 26.They will bring change to Bacolod that will be “more than good, it will be the best”, Benitez said.Benitez said he will “make sure all incumbent elected officials and all government employees go the extra mile to give the service Bacolod deserves”.Benitez, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and councilors-elect Vladimir Gonzalez, Jason Villarosa and Simple Distrito ...

COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental hit 30 on Thursday, May 26, after the daily figures had dropped to single digits and zero starting in April.Talisay and Bago cities have five active COVID-19 cases each, Victorias City – four, Binalbagan, EB Magalona, Manapla, Pulupandan – two each, and Cadiz City, Calatrava, Escalante City, Isabela, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Murcia, and Silay City – one each, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, was conducting an investigation on the rise in numbers and wants a retest to be conducted on those who tested positive.Health authorities have been saying that cases could go up two weeks after the campaign period and Election Day, Lacson noted.Lacson...