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A total of 269 Bacolod policemen, 18 of whom are officers, have been promoted to the next higher rank.Lt. Col. Sherlock Gabana, Bacolod City Police Office spokesperson, said the 13 newly promoted police captains are:*Francis Depasucat - Police Station 1 deputy chief;*Jonito Pastrana - Police Station 2 OIC;*Edward Bolivar – Police Station 3 deputy chief;*Greeky Cayao - Police Station 4 deputy chief;*Melvin Mercado – Police Station 5 deputy chief;*Dax Santillan – Police Station 6 OIC;*Andy Ofalia – Police Station 6 deputy chief;*Michael Tuburan – Police Station 10 deputy chief;*Hazel Oropel - City Administrative Resource Management Unit assistant chief;*Lelanie Lagoting - Human Resource and Development Division OIC;*Christine Cerbo - City Inves...

BGen. Inocencio Pasaporte, Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, and Col. Michael Samson (l-r) at the turnover rites.*Col. Michael Samson assumed the post of acting 303rd Infantry Brigade commander at rites held at Camp Maj. Nelson L. Gerona in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, December 27.Samson took over from retiring BGen. Inocencio Pasaporte who was honored at the “Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony”.Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Army 3rd Infantry Division commander, said his marching orders to Samson is to continue the effective campaign of Pasaporte against the Communist rebels in Negros who are now on the run.Continue the “loved by the people and feared by the enemy” campaign, Arevalo said.Arevalo said the continued support of the people of Negros ...

Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. delivering his video message.*Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. (Neg. Or., 3rd District) said he has received information that three active Scout Rangers have been sent to Negros to assassinate him and two other members of his family.Their targets are him, his brother former Negros Oriental Gov. Henry Teves and his son former Board Member Kurt Matthew Teves, the congressman told DIGICAST NEGROS on Tuesday, December 27.The congressman said he recorded a video message on his Facebook page to inform President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Secretary Roman Felix of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs that he received A1 information on the assassination plot.Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, A...

One of the sugarcane trucks burned at So. Carbon, Brgy. San Isidro, Toboso.*PNP photoThe New People’s Army (NPA) claimed responsibility for the burning of five sugarcane trucks in Toboso, Negros Occidental, in a statement on Tuesday, December 27.Three sugarcane trucks were burned at So. Carbon, Brgy. San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental, at 4 a.m. on Monday, December 26, the police reported.Investigation showed that the engines of the three Isuzu SKW sugarcane trucks were burned, the report said.A unit of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command (RJCP) – Northern Negros Guerilla Front of the NPA burned three more sugarcane trucks owned by Teotimo Ballesteros on the 54th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines, a statement from its spokesman Cecil Estrella said...

The confirmed cholera cases in Negros Occidental reached 76 on Tuesday, December 27, Dr. Jessica Fama, Medical Specialist 3 of the Provincial Health Office, said.If the suspected cases with no laboratory confirmation are included, then the number would be 144, Fama said.The cholera deaths remain at three with one each in EB Magalona, Silay City and Murcia.The rise in cholera cases in the province has slowed down lately, she said.The basic solution to the spread of cholera is proper sanitation, she said.Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with the cholera bacteria, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said.The infection is of...

The scene of the crime at 16th-Lacson Street, Bacolod, City.*Bacolod PNP photoThe claim that a person on board a motorcycle killed the general manager of the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) in Bacolod City on December 21 can be ruled out, Lt. Jonito Pastrana, Police Station 2 officer-in-charge, said on Tuesday, December 27.He believes that Danny Pondevilla, 47, who was found dead in the driver’s seat of his Honda CRV at 16th-Lacson Street, Bacolod, was most likely killed by someone inside the vehicle, Pastrana said.“The theory in the ongoing investigation is clearer now,” Pastrana said.The special investigation task force created to investigate Pondevilla’s killing convened Tuesday and is pursuing the angle that the motive of the killing was personal and work ...

Fireworks injured six persons in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City over the Christmas break, the Provincial Health Office reported on Tuesday, December 27.There were two persons injured in Bago City, and one each in Bacolod City, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, and Sagay City.One of those injured was tricycle driver Rex Gallendo, 45, who was drinking alcohol with his relatives at about 12:30 a.m. on Christmas Day at Purok Kamunsil, Brgy. Sampinit, Bago City, the police said.His brother Eduardo lighted a whistle bomb that he picked up, and it exploded in his right hand.Gallendo sustained injuries on his right hand and was brought to the Bago City Hospital and was later transferred to the Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, the police reported.Dr. Jessica Fama, Medical Specialist 3 ...

Ten New People’s Army rebels surrendered to government authorities out of “fear, hunger and hardship” in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, from December 20-22, the Army’s 62nd Infantry Brigade reported Sunday, December 25.Crasiolo Landisa alias Claire, 53,and Redgen Landisa alias Anghel, 22, both members of Central Negros Front 1 (CN1), Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (KR-NCBS) and residents of So Anahaw, Brgy Trinidad, Guihulngan City, surrendered to government forces on December 20.The surrenderers turned-over an M-16 A1 rifle, a Colt M203 40mm Grenade Launcher and a .45 caliber pistol, the Army reported.Another six rebels identified as Boging Cantila alias Jona, 52, Crisel Fat alias Tadlong, 39, Jerome Bitongga alias Bradley, 36, Joel Sta Ana alias Prince, 23, ...

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said on Friday, December 23, that it is imperative to challenge the decision of the MAV advisory council to import another 64,050 metric tons of refined sugar in response to the prevailing high retail prices in the domestic market."Importation as an instant solution to high prices is undoubtedly an economic misstep. We have proved this with the Rice Liberalization Law with the massive importation of other agricultural products such as onion, garlic, and vegetables," KMP said in a press release.The sugar importation proposal, endorsed by the Department of Agriculture MAV Advisory Council, was recently approved by President and concurrent agriculture Secretary Ferdinand Marcos Jr.DA Memorandum Order No. 77 was issued last December 20 to ...

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents and the police arrested an alleged drug group member and seized P544,000 in suspected shabu in a buy bust operation in Brgy. 5, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Friday, December 23.Arrested was Roldan Alqueza, 60, of, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, a police report said.Recovered from him were about 80 grams of suspected shabu, it said.The operation was conducted by joint elements of the PDEA6-Regional Special Enforcement Team, PDEA Negros Occidental Provincial Office, Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (Negros Occidental Provincial Office) and San Carlos City Police.The operation was carried out following a report sent via text through the “Isumbong Mo Sa PDEA” platform, created to allow the public to report illegal drug acti...