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The slain security guard in Calatrava on Wednesday.*Calatrava PNP photoA security guard was shot to death by his unidentified companion at Barangay Minapasok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, November 30, Maj. Lidawan Lumayen, Calatrava police chief, said Friday, December 2.Killed was 45-year-old Ely Marcellana of Brgy. Hinab-ongan, who was shot in the head.Police said the victim was on his way home when he was shot by his rider, who fled the scene on board Marcellana’s motorcycle.The victim and the suspect reportedly fought before the shooting occurred.Two bullets of a 9mm caliber pistol were found at the crime scene.Police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

There were 16 COVID-19 related deaths in Negros Occidental in November, the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) reported.The PIMT also recorded 626 new COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental in November, with the highest number of active cases in a day recorded on November 25 at 308.There were four COVID -19 related deaths on November 29, two on Nov 16, and one each on November 4,5, 6, 9, 10,11, 13, 25, 26 and 27.Negros Occidental had vaccinated 78.55 percent of its target population against COVID-19 as of November 27, the Department of Health reported Friday.It had also vaccinated 60.87 percent of its target senior citizen population, the DOH added.Negros Occidental and Antique are the remaining provinces in Western Visayas under Alert Level 2 because of their low ...

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office is warning the public about the possible spread of fake money this holiday season.Lt. Judesses Catalogo, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said that counterfeit money often circulates in December so the police are now monitoring it.The police also reminded residents to be vigilant when buying in markets and grocery stores.The NOCPPO has not yet monitored any fake bills circulating in the province.*

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito in Valladolid, Negros Occidnetal, on Friday.*RIchard Malihan photoSenator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said the first Senate committee hearing on the bills seeking the creation of the Negros Island Region will be held on Monday, December 5.The hearing will be conducted by the Senate Committee on Local Government chaired by Ejercito.Five senators have filed separate bills seeking the creation of an NIR composed of Negros Occidental and Oriental.The five bills filed this year are:*SBN-89: Negros Island Administrative Region Act, an act establishing the Negros Island Region to be known as Region XVIII filed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on July 7;*SBN-812: Negros Island Region Act filed by Senator Win Gatchalian on July 25;*SB...

Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Joseph Victor Ejercito, Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez and Rep. Emilio Yulo III (l-r) met to discuss the sugar industry on Friday, December 2.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez met with senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Joseph Victor Ejercito on Friday, December 2, to discuss the crafting of a plan to make the Philippine sugar industry globally competitive for it to survive.Benitez, who met with the two senators, Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) and Negros Occidental Board Member Frederick Ko in Bacolod City, called for a sugar summit in January to be attended by industry stakeholders and officials of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform and other national gov...

Lawyer JR Sanchez, Emmanuel Tariman Acosta, lawyer Luchi Perez and Fr. Eryl Agus (l-r) in front of the Kabankalan City Hall.*Pablo Tariman photoThe son of a slain alleged top rebel leader in Negros Occidental arrived Friday, December 2, to claim the body of his father.Last year he was also in Negros to claim the remains of his slain mother.Emmanuel Tariman Acosta, 19, who is a BS Math second year student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, arrived from Manila to claim the body of Ericson Legaspi Acosta who died in Sitio Makilo, Barangay Camansi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, November 30.The National Democratic Front claimed his father was an NDF consultant who was picked up by government soldiers and murdered.The Philippine Army denied the ...

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, stresses the importance of early detection and treatment.*Negros Occidental health officials marked World AIDS Day on Thursday, December 1, by raising awareness on the need for early detection and treatment.The rise in HIV and AIDs cases in Negros Occidental is alarming, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said.The message we want to send is that it is important to get tested because early detection is the key to treatment and protection, he said.Tumimbang said they conduct community-based HIV screening and assure those who seek help of confidentiality.Negros Occidental had 172 HIV cases from January to September this year, and Bacolod City has 101 placing them in second and fourth place in Western Visayas, r...

Three fake bookings at restaurants in Silay and Bago cities in Negros Occidental were made by a person pretending to be Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Thursday, December 1.Charina Magallanes Tan, executive assistant to the governor, said luckily the owners of the three establishments checked with the governor’s office but one establishment was swindled of P4,000.Tan said they are urging establishments to check on bookings made by phone to avoid falling victim to scammers.A resort owner in Silay got a call from a man pretending to be the governor, Tan said.He asked if she could make reservations at the resort’s restaurant for him and his group of 35 for a Department of Health and Philippine National Police meeting.The caller said the DOH officials would like to have eight b...

Dengue deaths in Negros Occidental have hit 29 this year, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported on Thursday, December 1.However, the number dengue cases in the province have been dropping lately, it said.The PHO report said there were 64 cases on morbidity week 46, and the cases were down to 40 on morbidity week 47.The dengue cases in Negros Occidental were 5,211 as of November 26 or an increase by 4,636 or 806.26 percent compared to last year, the PHO said.La Carlota City recorded the highest number of dengue cases at 399.The dengue deaths were in Hinigaran - four, Himamaylan City, Calatrava and Murcia - three each, Silay City, Isabela, Sagay City and Talisay City - two each, and Toboso, Victorias City, Manapla, La Castellana, EB Magalona, Pontevedra, Bago City a...