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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...

The crowd at the Asenso Bacolod rally at the Paglaum Sports Complex, left photo, shot by Ronnie Baldonado, and the Grupo Progreso crowd at the reclamation area in Bacolod City.*Massive seas of red and white supporters gathered at the reclamation area and the Paglaum Sports Complex for festive miting de avances of the two rival political groups in Bacolod City on Saturday, May 7, who both claimed victory ahead of the elections on Monday.Thousands of Grupo Progreso supporters clad in red led by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia gathered at the reclamation area, while the white-shirt supporters of Asenso Bacolod headed by mayoral candidate Albee Benitez filled the Paglaum Sports Complex.Both camps claimed that the massive show of support at their grand rallies were an indication of v...

Seventeen Vote Counting Machines in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City found defective on Friday and Saturday have been replaced.*NOCPPO photoThe Commission on Elections expects a higher turnout of voters on Monday, May 9, compared to the 2019 midterm elections, Acting Negros Occidental Provincial Elections Supervisor Roberto Salazar said on Sunday, May 8.Historically more voters turn out during presidential elections because of the heated national campaigns, he said.Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, has 1,946,639 registered voters making it the sixth province with the highest number of voters in the country, Salazar said.Salazar said they are all set for Monday’s polls and have already replaced 17 Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) found defective during the final tes...

Himamaylan PNP photoA teacher in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, was shot to death at Crossing Calasa in Barangay Caradio-an Sunday night, May 8, on the eve of the election.The fatality was identified as Mercy Miguel.Miguel was on her way home, along with her husband on board a motorcycle, when they saw huge rocks piled up the road and blocking their way, a police report said.This prompted them to remove the rocks, but the unidentified suspects, who were already waiting for the victim, shot the teacher, who was hit in the stomach.The victim was rushed to the Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial District Hospital in HImamaylan but was pronounced dead on arrival.Police are still investigating if the killing was election-related.Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson, in a...

The unopposed congressional candidates.The elections are over for four congressional bets, and 10 candidates for mayor and 11 for vice mayor in Negros Occidental.They are running unopposed in Monday’s polls.The unopposed congressional candidates are incumbent Gerardo Valmayor (NPC) – first district, Sagay Mayor and former representative Alfredo Marañon III (NUP/UNegA) – second district, incumbent Juliet Marie Ferrer (NUP/UNegA) – fourth district, and former deputy House Speaker Mercedes Alvarez (NPC) – sixth districtThe unopposed candidates for mayor and vice mayor are:BAGO CITY: Mayor - Nicholas Yulo (Nationalist People’s Coalition/United Negros Alliance) and Vice Mayor – Ramon Torres (NPC/UNegA);CADIZ CITY: Vice Mayor – Lilia Decolongon (UNegA/PDP Laban);CAUAY...

The 303rd Infantry Brigade along with its line battalions are on alert stance and ready 24/7 to ensure credible, safe, accurate, and fair elections (S.A.F.E.) in Negros, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd IB commander, said Sunday night, May 8.The 303rd IB and its line battalions have prepared Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) that are deployed in key areas in Negros Occidental, an Army press release said.They are deployed in areas that were classified and listed by the COMELEC as areas of concern.The AFP, through 3rd Infantry Division, provided a Black Hawk helicopter to the 303rd Infantry Brigade and its line battalions, which conducted aerial reconnaissance, especially of areas with known presence of Communist New People Army terrorist, the press release said.Intensified CO...

The Bureau of Fire Protection is on Red Alert for the elections on Monday, May 9, Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi, Bacolod Fire Marshal, said.He said 124 members of the Bacolod City Fire Station were recalled for the deployment plan from May 7-11.Fire trucks will be deployed to 12 Bacolod schools that serve as voting precincts, a BFP press release said Saturday, May 7.The 12 schools are:*Andres Bonifacio Elementary School 1 - Aguinaldo St.,*Andres Bonifacio Elementary School 2 - North Drive E-Ramos*Bata Elementary School 1*ETCS 1-3, Brgy. 16,*Rizal Elementary School, Brgy. 16*Luisa Medel National High School, Ramylu Drive, Brgy. Tangub*Mariano G. Medalla Integrated School, Araneta St.*Sum-ag Elementary School, Araneta St., Brgy. Sum-ag*JJ Gonzaga Elementary School, Bakyas,Brg...

“Vote early, vote wisely, vote safe.”That was the advice of Acting Provincial Elections Supervisor Roberto Salazar to the voters of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City on the eve of Election Day.Voting will be from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 9, and standard health and safety protocols are required to prevent the spread of COVID-19, he said.These include temperature checks, physical distancing, and wearing of face masks at all times, Salazar stressed.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said his advice to voters is: “Vote for our motherland.”Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon said: “Let us put the good of our country above anything else. Hence let’s choose leaders who are men and women of integrity, competence and commitment to the common good. Let us pray that our ...