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Two persons were killed in shooting incidents in Sipalay City and Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental on Monday, January 30.Marvin Amalla was killed at a birthday party at Purok Saging, Brgy. Gil Montilla, Sipalay City, at about 10:20 p.m. on Monday by Ryan Bandiola, the police said.Amalla and Bandiola were having a drinking session at a birthday party at the house of the suspect’s brother when an argument ensued.A police report said Amalla allegedly started to become unruly prompting Bandiola to shoot and hack him.Amalla was declared dead on arrival at the Sipalay City Infirmary.Bandiola voluntarily surrendered to the responding policemen and is detained at the Sipalay Police Station.Meanwhile, Divine Estoquia Anobong, 40, was shot and killed at Sitio Subo, Br...

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command head, presides over the turnover of the 303rd Infantry Brigade command from Col. Michael Samson to Col. Orlando D, Edralin (right)*The Army's 301st Infantry Brigade deputy brigade commander in Panay Island assumed the post of 303rd Infantry Brigade commander during a change of command ceremony at Camp Maj. Gerona, Brgy Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, January 31.Lt. Gen Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command head, let the turnover rites.Col. Orlando D. Edralin took over the helm of the 303rd Infantry Brigade as its 28th Brigade Commander, replacing Col. Michael Samson, who served as the Acting 303rd Brigade Commander for more than a month.Samson was also the 303rd Brigade deputy brigade commander for over three years befo...

Fr. Chris Gonzales, head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod*The root cause of the spread of illegal drugs must be addressed, Fr. Chris Gonzales, Social Action Center director of the Diocese of Bacolod, said Tuesday, January 31.The killing of persons linked to illegal drugs in not the solution, he said.But while the Catholic Church is against killings, they are not saying they are okay with the spread of illegal drugs, which destroys society, he said.Everyone should unite to solve the problem, Gonzales said.“We need to give hope to people,” he said.Many are engaged in illegal drugs because they have lost hope, Gonzales said.“We have to address the root cause, this is a societal problem,” Gonzales added.*

Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson and Roel Degamo (right).*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, January 31, that it will not be easy for him to convince Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo to support the creation of a Negros Island Region, which will include Siquijor, but he will try.Degamo and Lacson on Tuesday were expected to set a date for their meeting.Lacson said he sought the meeting to try to see if Degamo will have a change of heart. Degamo has publicly announced that he is against the creation of the NIR.Lacson and all of the representatives of Negros Occidental and Oriental and Siquijor are pushing for the creation of the new region.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (second from left) leads the inauguration of the new facilities on Tuesday with Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz and board members Rita Gatuslao, Araceli Somosa and Jeffrey Tubola (l-r).*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the inauguration of the provincial government’s P26 million Technology and Livelihood and Development Center (TLDC), Shared Service Facility(SSF) and organic market at San Juan Street in Bacolod City Tuesday morning, January 31.The facilities located next to the Negros Occidental Food Terminal Market are designed to upgrade the products of organic farmers and assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost their incomes.“We will strengthen our assistance to our MSMEs through our SSF or shared service faci...

Vincent Parra, officer-in-charge of the CHR Bacolod Sub-Office, at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism workshop on Human Rights Reporting*There were 81 human rights complaints in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in 2022, including 64 for extra judicial killings, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reported on Tuesday, January 31.About 30 of the EJK cases were for murders linked to illegal drugs, while the rest were agrarian reform and armed conflict related, Vincent Parra, officer-in-charge of the CHR Bacolod Sub-Office, said Tuesday, January 31.Parra was one of the speakers at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism workshop on Human Rights Reporting led by its training director Rowena Paraan at the Seda Capitol Central hotel in Bacolod City.Th...

The University of St. La Salle (USLS) renewed its partnership for the fourth time with its existing barangay and school partners for a three-year continued engagement in the areas of research, community development and student teaching and internship during the institutional memorandum of agreement signing (MOA) at the St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City, recently.USLS President and Chancellor Br. Joaquin Severino S. Martinez along with university administrators led the signing of the MOA between USLS and its partners.A total of seven existing partner public schools represented by school principals and the DepEd- Division of Bacolod, seven existing barangay partners represented by their barangay captains, and two cooperating schools for the College of Education student teaching a...

Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez at the launching of the Sidlak City Digital Network Assets and Project VECTOR on Monday*Victorias City continues to pioneer ICT innovations in Negros Occidental and Western Visayas Region with its launching of its Sidlak City Digital Network Assets and Project VECTOR at the Don Alejandro Acuña Yap Quiña Arts and Cultural Center Monday, January 30.“My vision is, Victorias City will be a city prepared and at the forefront of technology-driven local government in the region and the country…(and) that vision is starting now,” Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said in his speech.Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo and Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region ...

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo AlminazaSan Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said on Monday, January 30, that the recent suspected drug killings are a big challenge to the newly launched campaign against illegal drugs of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).The DILG has said that its campaign will be “within the framework of the law and with respect for human rights and with focus on rehabilitation and socio-economic development” dubbed as “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan or BIDA”, he noted.“It also challenges those among us who are still in denial about the massive human rights abuses under the previous administration and its enduring negative consequences and impact even until now,” he added.“We reiterate again our cry which has now become even louder and urge...