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The suspected high-value target who was arrested in a drug bust at Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City on Tuesday, July 5.*PNP photoA suspected high-value target was arrested in a police drug bust operation at Magsaysay Road, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City Tuesday, July 5.The suspect was identified as Christine Dacumos, 36, of 27th St., Calamba, Sigay, Brgy. 2.Recovered from her possession were  415 grams of suspected shabu worth P2,822,000, the P1,000 marked money, and the P219,000 boodle money.Police Lt. Col. Arnel Solis, Police Regional Office-6 spokesperson, said that police monitored the suspect after receiving information that she was allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.The suspect, who is in police custody, is facing drug charges.*

Manuel Reyes, Ramon Uy and Romualdo Martinez (l-r) who joined the Regenerative Agriculture International Conference.*Making affordable locally produced farm machinery available and encouraging farmers to go organic is the key to Philippine agriculture’s survival, a US-based Filipino agriculture biosystems engineer, said.Manuel Reyes, a research professor at Kansas State University, was one of the resource persons at the “Philippine open systems agriculture machinery manufacturing workshop” at a Regenerative Agriculture International Conference at May’s Garden in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, that ended Wednesday, July 6.“We need to focus on agriculture where the money returns to the community,” Reyes said.“We are dependent on sophisticated foreign machines that our farm...

City government hopes to draw 200,000 tourists to Bacolod City for MassKara Festival.*Ronnie Baldonado photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the Bacolod City government still has funds   for the implementation of his eight-point agenda  projects in his first 100 days in office.The 2022 Bacolod budget is not depleted,   the P78,445,475 or 22 percent   left for the City Mayor’s Office is for the general services of job order workers and casuals, he said on Wednesday, July 6.They are in the process of determining how many job order workers are needed, he said.The rest of the budget is still there so they can still push their programs, Benitez said.They were able to find the funds for his eight-point agenda, he assured.HEALTH PROGRA...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez hopes the Sangguniang Panlungsod endorses the bill seeking the creation of two Bacolod congressional districts.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said he supports Rep. Greg Gasataya’s bill seeking the creation of a second congressional district for Bacolod City.“I hope that the city council would endorse that bill,” Benitez said in an ambush interview Wednesday, July 6.Benitez said in the past the move to create a second congressional district did not prosper in Congress because of the lack of a Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) resolution endorsing it.“Now we have a new council, I hope they pass that resolution,” he said. Councilor Al Victor Espino said he will file a resolution of support for the creation of two Bacolod congr...

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod members at their inaugural session.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez called on the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod to be transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of Bacolodnons at the 11th SP inaugural session at the Bacolod City Government Center on Wednesday, July 6.Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, in turn, assured the mayor of the SP’s support for his programs and the legislative needs of his administration.The mayor called on the SP to be ethical, participative and consultative, and to bring back the trust and confidence of the people in government.“I called for good governance,” the mayor said in an interview.Benitez said he expects a smooth relationship with the SP, with the majority of its members co...

The closed circuit television showed the bus hitting the passengers at the terminal.*A Ceres Liner passenger bus overshot the gutter at its  terminal in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, on Tuesday, July 5, that left four passengers injured.The victims were sitting at the terminal when they were rammed by the wayward bus, which was being parked by the driver.Vallacar Transit Inc., operator of the Ceres bus, in a statement said they were deeply saddened by the accident at the Dumaguete Ceres Terminal and that they sympathize with the injured and their families.The driver has been serving the company for 15 years and has no record of major accidents. Prior to the accident, the  driver was awarded with a “zero accident incentive,” the statement said.“We would like...

The police are still investigating the robbery at the Bank of Commerce in Kabankalan City.*Kabankalan PNP photoUnidentified men robbed a bank in Brgy. 1, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, July 4, but they carted away ammunition instead of cash.The suspects entered the Bank of Commerce through its stockroom on the second floor by detaching the plywood covering an empty aircon casement, the police reported.Stolen were live ammunition for the 12-gauge shotguns of the bank’s three security guards.There was no security guard on duty at night, the police said.The police are still investigating the incident.*

The farmer who was gunned down while on his way home at Barangay Agboy, Candoni, on Monday, July 4.*Candoni PNP photoA farmer was shot to death at Sitio Bali, Barangay Agboy, Candoni, Negros Occidental, Monday, July 4.The fatality was identified as 53-year-old Angelito Chavez, who was walking  home from a farm when he was attacked by an unidentified man.The suspect, who was wearing a gray jacket, shot the victim multiple times, and fled.Chavez was brought to the Candoni Rural Health Unit where he was declared dead on arrival.The police are still investigating the case, as the motive for the killing has yet to be determined.*

CIDG-Negros Oriental photosA 48-year-old trader was arrested in an entrapment operation for selling fake cigarettes at Brgy. Bagawines, Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, on  Monday, July 4.Police identified the suspect as Abdul Jalil Mangundaya Mamarinta, and a resident of Brgy. 5, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.He was caught in the act selling fake cigarettes to a police-poseur buyer for P77,000.Recovered from his possession were four boxes of fake cigarettes worth P220,000, and the P1,000 marked money.The suspect, who is detained at the local police station, will be charged with violation of Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.*

Former Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella at a press conference Tuesday.*NIco Delfin photoFormer Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said on Tuesday, July 5, that his legal team is still studying what charges to file against a former executive assistant of his political rival who filed multiple cases against him that have all been dismissed.Malicious prosecution or a case that could carry a harsher penalty will be filed against Samuel Montoyo, an executive assistant of former mayor Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who lodged eight cases against him, Puentevella said at a press conference at the Negros Press Club.The “harassment” cases filed against him were geared towards destroying his family name and credibility, Puentevella said.The last case dismissed by the Office of the Omb...