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Presidential candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson Sr. and his runningmate, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III held a town hall meeting in Barangay Pahanocoy and paid a courtesy call on Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Wednesday, May 4.Leonardia received Lacson and Sotto, during their courtesy visit at the Bacolod City Government Center.They were accompanied by their senatorial candidates Manny Piñol and Minguita Padilla, and Lacson-Sotto Support group coordinator for Negros Occidental Jun Ballesteros, among others, a press release said.“Kahit bilyonaryo ang kalaban niya, walang ka talo-talo si Mayor Bing (Even if his opponent is a billionaire, no one can beat Mayor Bing),” Ballesteros said.“The explanation is performance and leadership. Walang substitute. Kasi pag ikaw n...

Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, May 4, that he is thanking the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) for its endorsement of his re-election bid.The governor said he received a call Monday confirming that the INC is endorsing his candidacy.He is very thankful for their support, Lacson said.“Rest assured that this will continue to inspire me to do even better than what we have done in the last few years,” he said.The governor confirmed that some mayors have also received their INC endorsements.The INC endorsement is sought after because its members are known for the practice of bloc voting during elections.Among the mayoral bets who have received endorsements from the INC are incumbents Rex Jalando-on of La Carlota City and Ire...

Three senatorial candidates are calling for the immediate release of Senator Leila de Lima from detention after two key witnesses issued retractions to their claims that she was involved in drug trafficking at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during her term as justice secretary.The calls were issued by senatorial candidates Alex Lacson, Chel Diokno and Risa Hontiveros who were in Negros Occidental with presidential aspirant Leni Robredo on Tuesday, May 3.The senator has been detained at the Camp Crame Custodial Center since February 2017 and is facing multiple drug cases.De Lima should be freed immediately, and candidates of dynasties with a history of political vendetta, should no longer be voted into office, Lacson said.De Lima led the investigation into the alleged extra ju...

3ID photoA 16-year-old suspected member of the New People's Army (NPA) died in a clash with the troops of the 15th Infantry (Molave Warrior) Battalion at Sitio Tigmaya, Brgy Gatuslao, Candoni, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, May 3.State troopers received a tip from the community following sightings of armed men in the group. This led to three encounters with the suspected NPA members, which led to the death of a rebel who was identified as Alias Kisap/Boyca.Recovered from the encounter site was one M-16 rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, one anti-personnel mine, four magazines, ammunition, a commercial radio, a cellphone, and personal belongings.In his statement, MGen Benedict Arevalo, 3ID Commander, commended the support and cooperation of the local populace by giving the troops ...

The Department of the Interior and Local Government in Western Visayas is monitoring if there are groups still engaged in e-sabong in Region 6, its regional director Juan Jovian Ingeniero said on Wednesday, May 4.Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the Philippine National Police and local government units (LGUs) to stop all online cockfighting games, popularly known as “e-sabong,” nationwide starting Tuesday night.The DILG chief said traditional physical cockfighting games would continue to operate with compliance to minimum public health standards as regulated by LGUs.Ingeniero said they have received verbal instructions to halt e-sabong, and pending receipt of a written order they have began monitoring operations.The decision to halt e-sabong was based on a survey ...

New data from the Bacolod City Epidemiological Surveillance Unit showed a 39.1 percent increase in dengue cases in April compared to the same period last year.City Health Office Environment Sanitation Division head Dr. Grace Tan said Bacolod recorded 96 dengue cases with two fatalities as of April 23.Bacolod had 69 cases and two deaths during the same month last year, she explained.Barangay Singcang-Airport had the most number of dengue cases with 10, followed by barangays Granada, Estefania and Mandalagan with nine each, Mansilingan - eight, Alijis – seven, Sum-ag and Tangub – six, Banago - five and Pahanocoy – four, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said.Leptospirosis cases dropped by 46.2 percent this year with seven cases and two deaths, it adde...

City PIO photoMayor Evelio Leonardia and Commission on Higher Education officials will lead the inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremonies of the new facilities of the Bacolod City College on Thursday, May 5.The BCC site development, which includes the construction of the new activity center, a 1,000-seater fully airconditioned gym for student assemblies, meetings and conventions as well as sporting events, received a P350 million appropriation from the city government, a press release from the Bacolod City Government Center said.To join the mayor during the ribbon-cutting rites are Bacolod's First Lady Elsa Fuentes-Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, CHED Regional Director Raul Alvarez Jr., College Administrator Ma. Johanna Ann Rabago-Bayoneta, as well as school and other...

A crowd of 15,000 welcomed presidential candidate Leni Robredo at Bantayan Park in Bago City Tuesday night, May 3.*VP Leni Media Bureau photoVice President Leni Robredo called on her supporters to continue to work hard to win more votes with just four days left to campaign before the May 9 polls because the power for change is in the hands of the people.“Let’s have a good fight, let’s finish the race and continue to keep the faith,” she said.Robredo issued the call at a rally at the Bantayan Park in Bago City, and at a gathering of about 1,500 volunteers at the Convention Hall of Acacia Hotel in Bacolod City where she was met by rousing welcomes from supporters who chanted her name Tuesday night, May 3.At the gathering of volunteers from various sectoral groups in Negros O...