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Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey were leading by large margins with 68.53 percent of the votes counted as of 9:32 p.m. on Monday, May 9.Lacson (NPC) had 655,235 votes while John Orola (PDDS) had 42,266 and Ma. Socorro Sipulan (Ind) - 11,372 in the race for the governorship, Comelec results showed.Ferrer (NUP) had 590,905 votes and his opponent Jonry Gargarita had 51,679 votes.Partial returns in the race for the six congressional seats of Negros Occidental as of 9:47 p.m. were:First DistrictGerardo Valmayor (unopposed) - 67,221Second DistrictAlfredo Marañon III (unopposed) - 80,074\Third DistrictFrancisco Benitez - 164,132Bernard Ferraris - 13,797Fourth DistrictJuliet Marie Ferrer (unopposed) - 109,186 ...

Sipalay LGU photoTwenty-three incumbent mayors in Negros Occidental took early leads in the elections Monday, May 9.The Commission on Elections showed the following results as of 10 p.m. Monday:BINALBAGANMirasol, Bebot - 15,010Aranda, Manuel - 12,344Carpio, Ramil - 272BAGOYulo, Nicholas - 47,804CALATRAVAEra, Marilyn - 11,124Canillo, Jose Anthony - 5,768Leonor, Pecdoy - 1,698CADIZEscalante, Bading - 38,398Garganera, Mawe - 3,499CANDONIRuiz, Ray - 5,529Lambot-Gargar, Mae Joy - 4,375Aloquina, Joerey - 25CAUAYANTabujara, John Rey - 30,979EB MAGALONAMalacon, Marvin - 18,432ESCALANTEYap, Melecio Jr. - 18,872Montero, Eddie - 11,137Egpas, Jen Jen - 58HIMAMAYLANTongson, Raymund - 19,777Bascon, Tinto - 9,615Lumawag, Eman - 129HINIGARANArceo...

Martian Muyco photoElection Day in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City was generally peaceful.This was disclosed by Acting Provincial Elections Supervisor Roberto Salazar and Bacolod Elections Officer Revo Sorbito on Monday, May 9.The Provincial Election Monitoring Action Team (PEMAT) said there were 43 vote counting machines in Negros Occidental that were reported defective or 1.4 percent of 2,906 VCMs distributed provincewide.However, even if the VCMs and SD cards malfunctioned the voting could still proceed, Salazar said.The voters could agree to vote and have their ballots read by a replaced or repaired VCM machine later in the day, or wait to vote when the machine was operational, he said.There were 26 defective VCMs reported at 2 p.m. but the number increased t...

Ronnie Baldonado photoMayor Evelio Leonardia renewed his call on Bacolodnons on Monday, May 9, to remain vigilant amid unconfirmed information relayed to him by a "distinguished personality" that fake vote counting machines (VCMs) will be allegedly used during the counting at the close of the polling precincts.He, however, did not identify the personality when pressed by reporters after casting his votes at Precinct No. 0227A at the Education and Training Center School III past 3 p.m. Monday with his wife, Elsa, and daughter, Kara."We have no strong evidence as of yet, but we should not take things lightly," Leonardia said in a press release.Provincial Elections Supervisor Roberto Salazar said the presence of fake machines are not true and hacking the Comelec system for the...

Himamaylan PNP photoThe teacher who was killed in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, was supposed to serve in the 2022 National and Local Elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Monday, May 9.DepEd, in a statement, said it strongly condemns the shooting of Mercy Miguel, a teacher at the Himamaylan National High School.“Though it is unclear yet if such brutality was election-related, we denounce any acts of violence and injustice towards our teachers, who have dedicated their lives to the Filipino children and are now selflessly serving the country in this year’s election,” the statement said.Secretary Leonor Briones has already instructed the Office of the Undersecretary for Finance to provide financial and other necessary assistance to the teacher and her fami...

Martian Muyco photoIntense heat also caused some Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) in Bacolod City to malfunction, Elections Officer Revo Sorbito said Monday, May 9.However, troubleshooting was undertaken to get them to operate properly, he said.Sorbito did not have the exact number of VCMs that malfunctioned in Bacolod City.It is so hot, these VCMs like computers were made to operate in cooler environments, Sorbito said.He said one VCM that malfunctioned was replaced at Hervias, while a machine problem was also reported in Barangay Handumanan.Some areas where the VCMs malfunctioned left voters waiting in long lines for hours.There were numerous complaints against the slow pace of voting and of vote buying in Bacolod City.Sorbito said he has received a lot of vo...

San Enrique PNP photoA construction worker and a minor were intercepted by village officials while they were on their way to distribute an envelop to a resident at Barangay Tibsoc in San Enrique town, Negros Occidental, Sunday night, May 8, on the eve of the election.Nabbed were Dindo Tolosa, 56, of the town’s Brgy Poblacion, and his minor-son, whose name was withheld by the police.Brgy. Kagawad Juno Benitez along with the tanods were conducting a roving patrol in the area when they encountered the suspects on board a tricycle and flagged it down.Tolosa said they were delivering “something” to a resident whom he refused to name.When the barangay officials checked, they found a plastic bag with an envelop marked with party-list No. 99 Uswag Ilonggo.The envelop contai...

PNA file photoThere were numerous reports of vote buying ranging from P1, 500 to P2,000 in Bacolod City on the eve of Election Day on Monday, May 9.The Commission on Elections received anonymous complaints of vote buying but when policemen were sent to the areas where they were supposed to be happening they turned out to be negative, Bacolod Elections Officer Revo Sorbito said Sunday.Complaints of vote buying need to be backed by evidence for the Comelec to take legal action against those responsible, he said.In Hinigaran, Mayor Nadie Arceo issued an executive order on Friday , May 6, declaring curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. in his town.He pointed out that the houses of kagawads Marciano Dizon and Jose Froilan Yap of Barangay 1 were ransacked by 12 armed men on May 4...