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SWAT personnel put a bonnet over the head of a suspect Sunday before turning him over to investigators at the PNP Provincial Headquarters at Camp Francisco Fernandez in Agan-an, Sibulan. *Alex Pal photoThe fifth suspect in the gruesome killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others was captured in Bayawan City on Sunday, March 5.Degamo and eight others were killed, and 17 others were injured in an attack during the governor’s regular service caravan in his home in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on Saturday morning.President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said “my government will not rest until we have brought the perpetrators of this dastardly and heinous crime to justice”.“I am warning all those involved in this killing: You can run but you cannot hide. We will find...

Vice Governor Carlo Jorge Joan “Guido” Reyes takes his oath as governor before Seecretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Saturday.*DILG photoThe new governor and vice governor of Negros Oriental were sworn into office following the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo in Pamplona on Saturday, March 4.Vice Governor Carlo Jorge Joan “Guido” Reyes (Nacionalista Party) was sworn into office as the new governor of Negros Oriental by Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. hours after Degamo was declared dead at 11:41 a.m. Saturday.Board member Manuel Sagarbarria Jr. takes his oath as vice governor before Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Sunday.*Board member Manuel Sagarbarria Jr., the son of Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria (Neg. Occ., 2nd District), was sworn in as the new vice governor of ...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Carmelita Salas at the Rafael M. Salas Park and Nature Center.*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson joined the Bago City government in commemorating the 36th Death Anniversary of Negrense diplomat and statesman, Rafael M. Salas, on Saturday, March 4.A memorial mass followed by a floral offering ceremony was held at Rafael M. Salas Park and Nature Center located at Brgy. Ilijan, Bago City.Joining the activity were Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo, Salas' wife, Carmelita, Pontevedra Mayor Jose Maria Alonso, former Governor Rafael Coscolluela, former DENR Secretary Victor Ramos, and other local officials.Lacson, in his speech, said he is proud to know that one of the most brilliant minds and well-respected technocrats of th...

Don’s get scammed, the Bacolod City government warned residents living in relocation sites on Sunday, March 5.The city government has not authorized anyone to collect payments at the Arao and Abada Escay relocation sites, it said in a press release.The public is urged to report to the city government persons or individuals who are fooling residents in those areas, it added.The public may report these scams to the mayor at https://bit.ly/ISUGIDKAYMAYORALBEE, the press release said.*

The Bacolod Modernized Transport Group at a press conference Sunday announced that they are not joining the transportation strike.*There will be no transport strike in Bacolod City on Monday, March 6.The Bacolod Modernized Transport Group and the three major transport associations in the city on Sunday announced that they are not joining the strike.A nationwide transport strike is set from March 6 to 12, to contest the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) Memorandum Circular No. 2023-013, which set a June 30 deadline for individual operators to join the modernization program or risk losing their franchises.The deadline has since been extended to December 31.Junjun Asis, secretary general of Sentrong Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Negros, sa...

Senator Imee Marcos at the wake of Gov. Roel Degamo on Sunday, March 5.*Top officials and bishops of Negros Occidental and Bacolod are calling for justice for Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others who were massacred in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on Saturday, March 4.“I, together with the people of Negros Oriental, mourn the loss of Governor Roel Degamo. I condemn his murder as well as that of others who were just there to seek assistance,” Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.“We need to put a stop to violent crimes such as this, and I earnestly hope that justice will prevail. Our people and government officials deserve to live in peace and should be able to live free from fear,” he added.Lacson said on behalf of the people of Negros Occidental, he offers his prayers...

Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade photo.*A fire that hit Ta-ala Farms at Purok Kasilingan, Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, left one dead and eleven injured on Saturday, March 4.The fire hit the poultry farm's storage area, which also served as the workers' living quarters, at 1:16 p.m. and was put out 2:07 p.m. causing an estimated damage of P2.6 million, the Bureau of Fire Protection Bacolod reported.The farm is owned by Bonnie C. Ta-ala.Killed in the fire was Johnrel P. Esparagoza, 26.Those injured were Darwin Castillano, 19, who sustained a dislocated of right ankle; Dennis Cañete, 20, lacerated right foot; Christian Paul Mission, 20, dislocated left foot; John Paul Ramirez, dislocated right ankle; Bryan Estorco, possible spinal injury; while Jhon Lexter Escaro, Felipe I...

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and five other people were killed Saturday, March 4, and a still undetermined number of people were injured, five to include three department heads of the Province, after they were attacked by fully armed men during the governor’s regular service caravan in his home in Pamplona, some 42 kilometers north of here.Mayor Janice Degamo of Pamplona, the wife of Governor Degamo, confirmed that her husband died at the hospital while being treated for gunshot wounds at 11:40 a.m. and asked the national government for justice.Dauin Mayor Galic Truita in an interview with reporters, said Degamo died of a gunshot wound on the right side of his body and hit his heart. He said the gunmen arrived in one van.CCTV footage shared from the crime scene showed five ...

Dennis Sibil*The farm worker who was taken away by unidentified men after an encounter between government and rebel forces in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan, was still missing on Friday, March 3, the police said.Dennis Sibil, 24, of Sitio Tapol, Barangay Carabalan, had been missing since Wednesday night, his mother Anyolina Sibil, 61, said on Thursday.He had not been found on Friday and the police have sought the assistance of intelligence operatives of other law enforcement groups, Lt. Col. Reynante Jomocan, Himamaylan police chief, said.Jomocan said the Army had given the evacuees clearance to go home following the encounter.Meanwhile, the four NPA rebels killed in the Carabalan encounter remained unidentified on Friday, Col. Orlando Edralin. 303rd Infantry Brigade co...