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NONECO general manager Danny Pondevilla was onboard his Honda CRV when he was killed.*Johpong Pongyan photoThe police are investigating two “persons of interest” in the killing of the general manager of the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) at 12:10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 21, Lt. Jonito Pastrana, Bacolod Police Station 2 officer-in-charge, said.Danny Pondevilla, 47, who had also served as acting general manager of Central Negros Electric Cooperatives, was found dead in the driver’s seat of his Honda CRV at 16th-Lacson Street, Bacolod City, with a lone gunshot wound on the left side of the occipital region of his brain.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the police have given him an update on the case and promised to bring justice soonest.“I will fol...

The Sicaba River where the drowning took place.*A construction worker drowned in the Sicaba River in Brgy. Burgos, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, 10:40 p.m., Tuesday, December 20.The victim was identified as Levi Barquin Beniabon, 18, of Hacienda Lumayagan, Brgy. Punta Mesa, Manapla.The victim and his companion Jaymar Agraviador were swimming across the river but because of strong current he was carried away and drowned, police investigation showed.The victim was brought to a hospital in Manapla but was declared dead on arrival.*

The entrance to the ceiling where the electrician was found*An electrician died after he was electrocuted at a house at Montebello Subdivision in Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 20.The police identified the fatality as Glenn Entolizo Castañeda, 50, of Bangga Totong, Brgy. Felisa, Bacolod CityErlina Abaring informed the police that Castañeda was working on an electrical connection in her house. She discovered that he was in the ceiling of her house and was not responding to her when she called him, Abaring said.She then called rescuers to check on him and they discovered that he was already dead, Abaring told the police.*

UNIFED President Manuel Lamata*The United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (UNIFED) is appealing to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to stop the move to import 64,050 metric tons of sugar while the milling season is at its peak.UNIFED President Manuel Lamata stressed that they are not against importation per se “but to do it now will be disastrous to our local sugar farmers.”Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban issued a memorandum on Tuesday, December 20, directing Jocelyn Salvador, OIC executive director of the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) Secretariat, to immediately convene the MAV Advisory Council and expedite the importation of 64,050 metric tons of refined sugar.Based on the latest Summary Inflation Report Consumer Price Index (2018-100) relea...

There are now 72 confirmed cholera cases in Negros Occidental with one new death in Murcia town, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported Tuesday, December 20.The death in Murcia was the first reported cholera case in the town this year.Earlier one death each were reported in Silay City and EB Magalona.Talisay City remains to have the highest number of cholera cases at 23, followed by Silay City with 22, EB Magalona – 15, Cadiz City - 4, Victorias City 3, Pulupandan – 2, and Manapla – 2Cholera 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 cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatenin...

Firecrackers being manufactured in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental.*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Department of Health is campaigning against the use of firecracker and pyrotechnic devices in Negros Occidental because annually it has the highest number of holiday injuries in Western Visayas.The DOH 6 held a Fireworks Injury Awareness Campaign, also known as the Iwas Paputok Campaign, at the Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City on Tuesday, December 20, to remind the public to refrain from the use of firecrackers during the holidays, and especially in ushering in the New Year.The public is urged to resort to alternative modes of creating noise, which should not include the previously advocated “torotot”, a horn-shaped plastic toy trumpet, Dr. May Ann Sta. Lucia, Health Support Divisi...

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Negros Occidental is reminding the public to buy and use firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices only in officially designated areas during the holidays.SFO2 Glenn Granada, OIC chief of the Fire Safety Enforcement Section of the BFP in Negros Occidental, said they are urging the public not to patronize illegal sellers of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.The public should buy at the designated selling areas in the towns and cities for safety reasons, Granada said.Residents who want to light up their firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices should also coordinate with their barangay officials so this can be done in designated areas, he said.Those selling in non-designated areas most certainly are illegal and have no business permits, Granad...

The Bacolod City government on Tuesday, December 20, warned the public against a group claiming to be authorized by the Office of the Mayor to solicit financial assistance.“It has come to the attention of the Office of the City Mayor of Bacolod that a group of men introducing themselves as members of a religious sect are roaming around the city asking for financial contributions under the appearance that they have been authorized by the office,” the statement said.The public is advised that the Office of the Mayor did not give any authorization to the group nor it is in any way affiliated with the City of Bacolod, the statement added.“Any misrepresentation committed by the group should be reported immediately to the police,” it added.The group were last reported to be solic...

Two persons were injured by stray bullets from a gun fired by man who was chasing another person at the Circumferential Road in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, at 4:50 a.m. Tuesday, December 20.Injured were Jade Rey Agpel, 20, and Normal Fortogalete, 78, of Barangay Bata, Capt. Armilyn Vargas, Police Station 3 chief, said.Vargas said there was a commotion at Bangga Sawmill in Brgy. Bata, where the suspect chased an unidentified male until they reached the Circumferential Road.When the suspect could not reach the person he was chasing, he fired his improvised firearm, which resulted to minor injuries to two persons, she said.The victims were brought to a hospital, while the suspect fled.Hot pursuit operations were still on going for the possible apprehension of the suspect ...

Willy Miranda Satoc at the BCPO gate Tuesday afternoon.*BCPO PIO photoA jeepney driver who had gone to the Bacolod City Police Office at Barangay Singcang Airport to pay the fine for a trafffic citation ticket he was issued was apprehended at the gate for possession of drugs at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, December 20.Nabbed was Willy Miranda Satoc, 36, of Baranagy Mandalagan, Bacolod City, the police said.On checking his citation ticket the guard on duty saw that Satoc had a sachet of shabu estimated to weigh about .005 gram worth P500.Meanwhile, the Bacolod City police reported that it confiscated 446.215 grams of illegal drugs with estimated value of P3,034,262 from November 1 to December 19.Fifty eight police operations were conducted resulting to the arrest of 66 drug person...