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Jun32026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

PRO NIR focus crimes drop 18.42%, lowest level in May

The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) reported a 18.42 percent decline in focus crimes from January to May this year.The five-month period culminated in May marking the lowest monthly crime volume of the year so far, with only 62 incidents reported across the region, the PRO NIR report said on Wednesday, June 3.Regional police officials attribute this positive trend to strengthened law enforcement operations, strategic crime prevention, and robust community cooperation.Data released by the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division showed 77 focus crime incidents in January, 81 in February, and 93 in March.The crime incidents then dropped to 76 in April before hitting the record low of 62 in May, the PRO NIR said.When c...

Jun32026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

76-year-old man dies in Valencia house fire

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

A 76-year-old man died after his house was razed by fire in Valencia, Negros Oriental, early Tuesday morning, June 2.The Bureau of Fire Protection-Valencia identified the fatality as Primitivo Abellon, single, and a resident of Purok 7, Brgy. Jawa.The fire reportedly broke out at around 5 a.m.BFP-Valencia said responders discovered the remains of Abellon inside the house that was engulfed by fire.Reports also said that the victim lived alone, was active in the community, and had no known health problem.BFP-Valencia also reported that four motorcycles were burned in the fire.Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire and have yet to release the estimated cost of damage.*

Jun32026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Bacolod cops nab high value target, seize P952K in shabu

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A high-value individual was arrested after police seized P952,000 worth of suspected shabu in a buy-bust operation in Bacolod City on Tuesday morning, June 2.The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region identified the suspect as alias “Jenjen,” 23, unemployed, and a resident of Purok Cereza South, Brgy. 3.The operation was conducted at around 6:44 a.m. in Purok Cereza South by the Bacolod City Police Office City Drug Enforcement Unit, together with the City Intelligence Unit and Police Station 2.Police said the operation stemmed from validated intelligence information on the suspect’s alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.Authorities recovered about 140 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated standard drug price of P952,000.Seized during the operation wer...

Jun32026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

7-year-old girl hit by bus sustains serious head injuries

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A 7-year-old girl sustained serious head injuries after she was hit by a Ceres bus in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental on Tuesday morning, June 2.Police said the vehicular incident happened at around 11 a.m. along the national highway in Brgy. Alicante. E.B. Magalona police investigation showed that the Ceres bus, driven by alias “Mang Ernie,” 38, of Escalante City, was traveling from E.B. Magalona toward Victorias City.Upon reaching the area, the bus hit the minor pedestrian who allegedly suddenly crossed the highway.The victim, who is a resident of Brgy. Manta-angan, was rushed by responding rescue personnel to Riverside Hospital in Bacolod City for medical treatment.*

Jun32026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

NCIP approves 16,000-hectare ancestral domain title for NegOcc Bukidnon tribe

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The Indigenous People representatives ay the NCIP hearing.*The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 10th Commission has formally approved the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) for the Bukidnon Indigenous Cultural Communities in Negros Occidental, concluding a 25-year legal process.The decision was finalized during an NCIO En Banc session on May 27.Led by NCIP Secretary and Chairperson Nancy A. Catamco, the approved CADT secures a total of 16,476.7607 hectares of ancestral land based on official survey results, an NCIP Facebook posts said.The titled property covers Barangay Codcod in San Carlos City, Barangay Igmayaan in Don Salvador Benedicto, and Barangay Minoyan in Murcia.The milestone decision marks the culmination of a bureaucratic and communi...

Jun22026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

More than 500 Escalante evacuees return home after Army-NPA clash

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Hot meals being provided to the evacuees.*Escalante PNP photoResidents of Barangay Tamlang, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, who evacuated following an encounter between the 79th Infantry Battalion and remnants of the New People’s Army, returned home on Tuesday, June 2.A total of 150 families, comprising 554 individuals, who had evacuated to the Tamlang Elementary School, decamped and returned home, 1st Lt. Fevie Fajardo, the 79th IB civil-military operations officer, said.A stress debriefing and psychosocial support activity was held, and food assistance was given to the evacuees before they returned home.A 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) soldier was killed during the encounter with about five remnants of the NPA in Barangay Tamlang on Monday afternoon, Fajardo earlier s...

Jun22026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Vet reminds livestock, poultry raisers to strengthen biosecurity amid weather shifts

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The Negros Occidental provincial veterinarian on Tuesday, June 2, reminded livestock and poultry raisers in the province to strengthen their biosecurity measures to protect their animals from the adverse effects of climate change.Dr. Placeda Lemana said the changes in weather conditions could endanger animals with low resistance, which is why biosecurity is important.Farm biosecurity is a strategic system of sanitation, quarantine, and access control designed to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases within a livestock population.Livestock must have proper housing and footbaths, Lemana said. Animals must also be properly fed and given the necessary supplements and vitamins, she added.She said there were few farm animal casualties from the extrem...

Jun22026 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

5.4K TNVS, delivery drivers in NegOcc get cash relief aid

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The payout of PHP5,000 cash relief assistance to transport network vehicle service and delivery service drivers in Negros Occidental at SM City Bacolod.*DSWS NIR photo At least 5,401 transport network vehicle service (TNVS) and service delivery drivers in Negros Occidental received cash relief assistance (CRA) amounting to PHP27.005 million during the two-day payout last week.Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region (DSWD-NIR) on Tuesday showed the beneficiaries from Negros Occidental are among the 5,992 drivers served across the region."The government's relief program is aimed at helping transport and delivery workers cope with the effects of rising fuel prices and increasing operational expenses," the DSWD-NIR said in a statement.In...

Jun22026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

3-year-old girl dies in three-vehicle crash in Silay

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A 3-year-old girl died after an electric bike was hit during a collision involving a Ceres bus and a Toyota Vios taxi in Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Monday afternoon, June 1.Police said the vehicular crash happened at around 3:40 p.m. at the junction of Rizal Highway and Bangga Bulangan Road in Brgy. 5.The vehicles involved were a yellow Ceres bus driven by alias “Renren,” 43, of Cadiz City, a white Toyota Vios taxi driven by alias “Deme,” 54, of Bacolod City, and a blue electric bike driven by alias “Nick,” 33, of Silay City.Two minors, aged 4 and 3, were passengers of the electric bike.The Silay police investigation showed that the Ceres bus was traveling from Bacolod City toward E.B. Magalona, while the Toyota Vios taxi was making a U-turn from the northbound lane ...

Jun22026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Alleged drug personality shot dead in Bacolod

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An alleged drug personality was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Bacolod City early Monday morning, June 1.Police identified the victim as alias “Butsoy,” 43, jobless, and a resident of Purok San Miguel, Brgy. Sum-ag.The shooting happened at around 1:27 a.m. at Rachel Store in San Jose 2, Brgy. Sum-ag.The police said the victim was sitting at a computer shop when the suspect shot him several times.Police said the gunman fled toward the west direction on a scooter-type motorcycle driven by a companion.The victim was brought to the Bacolod South General Hospital where he was declared dead at around 2:20 a.m. Monday.Scene of the Crime Operatives personnel processed the crime scene.Recovered from the area were seven suspected .45 caliber pistol fir...