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A 70-year-old motorcycle driver died after his motorcycle collided with a car in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday night, May 21.Police identified the fatality as alias “Jul,” a resident of Brgy. 2, San Carlos City.The accident happened at around 9:20 p.m. along the C.L. Ledesma National Highway in Sitio Santo Niño, Brgy. Buluangan.San Carlos police investigation showed that a black Toyota Vios driven by alias “Jean,” 36, a barangay kagawad of Brgy. Buluangan, was traveling toward the San Carlos police station when it hit the motorcycle.Police said the motorcycle was traveling in the opposite direction allegedly without a headlight and had encroached on the lane of the Toyota Vios.The motorcycle overturned and was totally wrecked due to the impact.The ...

The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) logged the largest power rate reduction in Negros Occidental for the month of May, posting a significant decrease of ₱2.3868 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).NONECO announced that its overall electricity rate for May dropped to ₱12.0159/kWh, a decline from the ₱14.4027/kWh recorded in April.The Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) in central Negros and Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) in southern Negros also earlier announced drops in their power rates for May.Negros Power reduced its May rate to ₱11.38/kWh, marking a decrease of ₱0.86 from April's rate of ₱12.24/kWh.NOCECO announced that its residential rate for May fell to ₱11.45/kWh, which is down by ₱1.76 from the ₱13.21/kWh billed in April.Despit...

A high-value drug target was arrested in a buy-bust operation that yielded P428,400 worth of suspected shabu in Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday afternoon, May 20.Authorities identified the suspect as alias “Nonong,” 50, a resident of Brgy. 2, Bacolod City.The operation was conducted at around 5:20 p.m. in Purok Old Bario, Brgy. Sta. Rosa, Murcia.The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the operation was led by its Regional Special Enforcement Team, together with PDEA intelligence units, Murcia Municipal Police Station, and the Coast Guard Intelligence Unit-Northern Negros Occidental.Recovered from the suspect were 15 heat-sealed plastic sachets containing about 63 grams of suspected shabu.Authorities also seized the buy-bu...

The slaughterhouse in Brgy. Rizal, San Carlos City.*Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson led the blessing and inauguration of another abattoir/slaughterhouse project located at the City Agriculture Compound in Brgy. Rizal, San Carlos City, on Friday, May 22.It is one of the many abattoirs strategically located in various LGUs in the province, aimed at ensuring safe, hygienic, and regulated meat processing for public consumption, thereby protecting public health through proper sanitation and inspection, a press release from the provincial government said.The slaughterhouse will also boost the local livestock industry and economy, and help manage waste responsibly, it added.The project is one of the Department of Agriculture-led Philippine Rural Development Project...

The MOA signining at CHMSU on Friday*Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) made regional history as the first institution in the Negros Island Region to establish a Center for Human Rights Education (CHRE), following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) at the CHMSU Talisay Main Campus Function Hall on Friday. May 22.The landmark MOA was signed between CHR Chairperson Richard Palpal-Latoc, represented during the ceremony by Commissioner Beda Epres, and CHMSU Vice President for Academic Affairs Russel Dela Torre on behalf of President Norberto Mangulabnan.The agreement formalizes a partnership centered on building a sustainable culture of human rights through instruction, research, and community engagement, a press relea...

Ongoing repair of the 300mm bridge crossing pipe at Araneta Street in Bacolod City near Gaisano City Mall that has affected the water supply of some barangays.*PrimeWater photoAbout 40 percent of the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA)-PrimeWater consumers are currently suffering from reduced water supply brought on by the ongoing dry spell and pipe leakages, a BACIWA official said Thursday, March 21.The available water supply for the BACIWA-PrimeWater coverage area was 90 million liters per day (MLD) as of May 19—leaving a deficit of 30 MLD, Engr. Michael Soliva, BACIWA OIC manager, said.“The water supply is very unstable,” Soliva said.He explained that the current dry spell is a major factor in the declining water supply, compounded by existing leaks in the pipe netwo...

CHR Commissioner and Spokesperson Beda Epres being interviewed at the Bacolod City Government Center*The families of three of 19 killed in the April 19 encounters in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, have requested the exhumation of their kin for the conduct of autopsies, a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) official said on Thursday, May 21.The autopsies are being sought to determine where the victims were hit by bullets, which will form part of the CHR investigation.The requests were for the exhumation of the bodies of Errol Wendel, Joros Caramihan, and Labskie Enustacion, CHR Commissioner and Spokesperson Beda Epres said in an interview with reporters at the Bacolod City Government Center.The CHR is waiting for clearance from the Toboso Municipal Health Office for the exhumation...

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict press conference on Thursday*Eleven out of the 19 "New People’s Army rebels" killed in the April 19 clash with the 79th Infantry Battalion in Toboso, Negros Occidental, tested positive for gunpowder residue, Col. Reynaldo Calaoa, Negros Island Region Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Forensic Unit chief, said on Thursday, May 21.This is an "indication" that the 11 indeed fired their weapons against troops of the Philippine Army's 79th Infantry Battalion, he said at a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) press conference at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.He declined to say who among the 19 tested positive for gunpowder residue, pending completion of the investigation.Slain r...

The Toyota Revo loaded with cigarettes*The police intercepted a vehicle carrying more than P460,000 worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes after it fled from a checkpoint in Bago City early Thursday morning, May 21.Bago policemen flagged down a white Toyota Revo at a checkpoint along the national highway at Rafael Salas Drive in Brgy. Balingasag at around 2:45 a.m.Instead of stopping, however, the driver sped away, prompting the police to launch a hot pursuit operation.The vehicle was later intercepted along the highway in Brgy. Pacol, Bago City.Authorities said a couple from Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, were onboard the vehicle and were traveling from Bacolod City toward southern Negros.Police said the driver failed to present a valid driver’s license and vehicle d...

A 29-year-old farmer died after he was hit by lightning in Sitio Hinataban, Brgy. Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday afternoon, May 19.Police investigation showed that around 5:30 p.m., the victim was attending to his carabao when heavy rain occurred.The victim sought shelter under a jackfruit tree, but lightning struck the tree and also hit him.Police said the victim sustained serious injuries but still managed to seek assistance.He was rushed to the Holy Mother of Mercy Hospital where he was declared dead.*