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Councilor Al Victor Espino delivering his privilege speech on Wednesday*Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino aired his opposition to City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III’s issuance of memorandums to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, which he called disrespectful.Espino, in a privilege speech delivered during the SP regular session on Wednesday, February 8, said Maghari should not be issuing memorandums to the city council because the executive and legislative branches of government are co-equal.“We are defending the institution which is the Sangguniang Panlungsod,” which is not subservient to the city administrator, he said.The city administrator’s issuance of memorandums to the SP is unacceptable and should not be repeated, Espino said.The SP has received four memorandums f...

The drug-bust at Sitio Canday-ong, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, on Tuesday, February 7.*Drug enforcement officers arrested a plea bargainer and confiscated about 1 kilo of suspected shabu worth P6.9 million during a buy-bust operation at Sitio Canday-ong, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, February 7.The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 7 (PDEA) identified the jobless suspect as Fernando Saraga, 54.Operatives of the PDEA 7 Regional Special Enforcement Team, PDEA Negros Oriental Provincial Office, and Dumaguete City Drug Enforcement Unit confiscated four packs of suspected shabu weighing about a kilo, the buy-bust money, a mobile phone, and other non-drug evidence.The drug evidence have been submitted for chemical analysis, the PDEA said.A case fo...

What was left of the house that was hit by fire.*BFP photoA pastor and his neighbor were injured in a fire that destroyed a house at Purok Matinumanon, Brgy. Felisa, Bacolod City, 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 7.Injured were pastor Sunny Soriano, 62, who sustained minor burns on his right arm and his neighbor Jordan Buga, 39, who had burns on his left hand, the Bureau of Fire Protection reported. Buga was identified as the owner of the house that was destroyed by the fire.The BFP placed the cost of the destruction at P120,000.The electricity in Buga’s house fluctuated prompting him to turn off the power through a switch box, but when he turned it on again fire broke out, the BFP said.The pastor was injured when he turned off the fuse box again and was hit by sparks from the...

NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas and PANAYFED president Danilo A. Abelita*The National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP) and the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (PANAYFED) are asking the Sugar Regulatory Administration to allocate equally between sugar producers and industrial users the rights for the proposed sugar importation, and to implement a fair and transparent process in awarding the importation.“We recommend that all sugar producers, both planters and millers alike, should be allowed to participate in the program through their federations or associations, or through any accredited sugar trader to whom they will assign their import rights,” NFSP President Enrique D. Rojas and PANAYFED President Danilo A. Abelita said in their joint letter sent to the Sugar Board ...

Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District)*Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said two House committees approved three bills for the Third District of Negros Occidental on Wednesday, February 8.House Bills 1448 and 2334 creating new Regional Trial Courts (RTC) for Silay and Victorias cities were approved by the Committee on Justice.House Bill 2332 establishing a Professional Regulation Commission Service Center in Victorias was approved by the House Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation.Benitez, in seeking the creation of new RTC branches in Silay and Victorias, said the 1987 Constitution guarantees the right of all persons to speedy disposition of cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bod...

Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz issued a show cause order on Tuesday, February 7, directing the former acting treasurer of Isabela town to explain the loss of government’s funds under her watch.Issued the show cause order was Cashier 1 Nenette Escarda who was directed to explain in writing, comment or submit an affidavit under oath within five days on why no criminal, civil and administrative cases should be filed against her.The show cause order noted that Escarda while acting municipal treasurer of Isabela, without authority from the mayor or national government, removed P2,600,000 in cash and P3,800,000 in checks from the Municipal Treasurer's Office of Isabela and brought them to her home in Bacolod City where they were allegedly lost.Based on an e...

Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, 10 component cities and 17 municipalities are 2022 Good Financial Housekeeping passers, the Department of the Interior and Local Government announced Tuesday, February 7.The component city passers are Bago, Cadiz, Sagay, Himamaylan, San Carlos, Kabankalan, Silay, La Carlota, Talisay, and Victorias, the DILG said.The municipalities that passed the 2022 Good Financial Housekeeping are Binalbagan, Hinoba-an, Calatrava, Ilog, Candoni, Isabela, Cauayan, Manapla, EB Magalona, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Salvador Benedicto, San Enrique and Toboso.*

Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head Zeaphard Caelian has sought permission to transfer to Silay City as assistant city assessor.The request has been approved by Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday, February 7.The transfer was supposed to take effect January 31 but because of the delay in the processing of requirements for the Silay post, Caelian asked for an extension on the effectivity of his transfer until the end of February.However, Caelian has taken a leave of absence to process the requirements.Lacson has yet to announce who will serve as the officer in charge of the PDMPD, although they already have somebody in mind, Diaz said.*