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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...

The former acting treasurer of Isabela, Negros Occidental, who has been formally charged for administrative offenses of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and malversation of public funds has opted to submit a position paper instead of undergoing a formal investigation, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas said Friday, March 3.Nenette M. Escarda, who is under a 60-day preventive suspension, has been given 10 days to submit her position paper, Nellas said.They will endeavor to resolve her case within the timeframe of her preventive suspension, he added.If found guilty, she could face the penalty of dismissal from the service, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and forfeiture of benefits, Nellas said.Escarda is facing charges for removing municipal pu...

Philippine Red Cross helps in hygiene promotion*Twenty-five water samples collected in San Carlos City on Wednesday and Thursday, March 1 and 2, tested positive for bacteria, Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, said Friday.Six of the samples were positive for E. Coli and 18 for coliform, he said.The Department of Health (DOH) teams are assisting the San Carlos City government in conducting tests of its water sources to stem the rise in its acute gastroenteritis and amoebiasis cases.San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo has directed the city waterworks department to intensify chlorination in areas with contaminated water sources, Alingasa said.On Friday there were seven new patients admitted at the San Carlos City Hospital, four of whom w...

Some of the couples at the special mass wedding with Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and other city officials*Twenty-eight couples joined a “You and Me sa ‘23” special mass wedding officiated by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby Friday afternoon, March 3.The 28 had asked to be married ahead of the main mass wedding set on May 11 as some had partners who were set to leave for jobs abroad.The main “You and Me sa '23 Mass Wedding” that has targeted2,070 couples have signed up is set at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds 2 p.m. on March 11 with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos as special guest.So far 2,070 has signed up to join the mass wedding on March 11.Witnesses at the special mass wedding on Friday we...

A caregiver who is believed to be from Bago City, Negros Occidental, is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.An FBI wanted poster posted on its website said Edgardo Feralin Dormido Jr., 48, is wanted for allegedly molesting two children in their home at Manhattan Beach, California, where he worked as a caregiver.“Federal prosecutors have been unable to locate him in the Philippines, though they believe he is working as a janitor at Bago City College (BCC) in Bago City,” the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday, March 1.The FBI said it released his photos on Wednesday in the hope that the public may help locate Dormido in the Philippines, the Los Angeles Times added.BCC Administrator Deborah Singson, on Friday, February, 3 denied that Dormido had worked as a jani...

Two Kabankalalan City barangay captains, who responded to subpoenas sent by the National Bureau of Investigation, have denied links to illegal Small Town Lottery (STL) activities in their villages, NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said Friday, March 3.Persons earlier arrested by the NBI alleged that Barangay 5 Captain Joel Alibango and Barangay 6 Captain Franz Seguiro of Kabankalan City were at a meeting where they gave their consent for the illegal STL bet collections in their areas.Baldovino said the two officials denied any involvement in illegal STL operations in their barangays. The NBI is gathering additional evidence to decide on the action they will take, Baldovino said.The lone Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office authorized operator of STL in Negros Occidental and ...

The suspected lookout of the person who killed a security guard in Bacolod City Thursday night has been arrested, Capt. Jonito Pastrana, Police Station 2 chief, said Friday, March 3.Security Guard Jofen Flores Dequito, 42, was shot in the head by a gunman in front of the Overhang Café at 23rd Lacson Street, Brgy.5, Bacolod City, 10:50 p.m. on Thursday,The killer then took Dequito’s firearm.Pastrana said the lookout, whose name he withheld, was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm Friday.He was later identified as the lookout in the killing of the security guard from CCTV footage of the area where the crime was committed, the cop chief said.A police investigation showed that three men on board a motorcycle arrived at the café Thursday evening. Dequito told them t...