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San Carlos PIO photoSan Carlos Bioenergy Inc. (SCBI) will not be allowed to resume operations until it can assure the city government that its wastewater will not overflow into the sea and affect coastal communities, San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo said today, February 22.Gustilo said he sent a letter to SCBI on February 18 asking it to temporarily cease operations to prevent an overflow of its wastewater, especially with tropical storm “Auring “ approaching. The company ceased operations Friday afternoon, February 19.The mayor told DIGICAST NEGROS that he visited the SCBI plant today and its pond was still full of blackish wastewater that could overflow into the sea and towards adjacent communities.“Instead of its resuming operations tomorrow, I will not allow them to do s...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is creating an energy council that will draw up a roadmap for renewable energy in Negros Occidental, San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said today, February 22.Lacson, who met with Alminaza and former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela at the Capitol in Bacolod City today, February 22, said he committed to form the council.“I will have to decide who can help us lead this energy council, most likely from the private sector, and then we will decide on the membership,” the governor said.Alminaza said their groups, Renewable Energy Power Negros and the Center for Ecology, Energy and Development, are pushing for sustainable clean and renewable energy in Negros Island and presented this to the governor.Their groups want to help the provincial g...

I Love Sagay FB photoPrayers were answered, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said today, February 22, after Negros Occidental was spared from a direct hit by tropical storm “Auring.”The Philippine Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) today lifted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over central and northern Negros, prompting the Philippine Coast Guard to allow the resumption of sea travel.The storm spared the province, but five local government units in northern Negros conducted preemptive evacuations Sunday and early today. The evacuees have since returned to their homes.Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division chief, said four cities and one town evacuated 2,254 residents as a preemptive measure.Evacuated in Sagay City were 639...

Rey Siason photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson today, February 22, said he will listen to the request of Mayor Ernesto Estrao on the easing of border controls between Hinoba-an town in Negros Occidental and Basay and Bayawan City in Negros Oriental.“Should Mayor Estrao make the request, I will listen to his proposal," Lacson said.Estrao on Sunday said he is eyeing the opening of the border of Hinoba-an in southern Negros Occidental to residents of Bayawan City and Basay for a maximum of 12 hours a day for essential business.He will discuss the matter with Lacson, and mayors Henry Teves of Bayawan and Maki Cañamague of Basay, Estrao said.Lacson has an existing executive order closing the borders between Negros Occidental and Oriental as a deterrent against the spread of COVID-...

Homeowners are opposing the construction of a cell site at St. Therese Avenue in Doña Juliana Heights Subdivision, Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, which they said is ongoing despite a notice of illegal construction.The homeowners in a letter to Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonadia are requesting for his immediate action against the cell site of DITO Telecommunity Corporation.The cell site tower is being constructed in the center of residential houses in a residential area, they said.DITO, the third telecommunications company in the Philippines, is a consortium headed by Davao businessman Dennis Uy.“This project will be a health hazard to us when we are now fighting the coronavirus,” the homeowners said in their letter to the mayor.They asked the mayor to have city zoning pers...

A man was shot to death by an unidentified suspect who pretended to be customer at a vulcanizing shop in Barangay Lemery, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, Sunday night, February 21.Killed was Dindo Villacorte, 28, of Barangay Lemery.The three unidentified persons on board a motorcycle arrived at the vulcanizing shop beside the road, a police report said.One of the suspects, who alighted from the motorcycle, told the victim “pa vulcate mi,” then drew his weapon and shot Villacorte multiple times.The victim was rushed to Calatrava District Hospital but was referred to San Carlos City Hospital where he was pronounced dead.Recovered from the crime scene were six fired cartridges of a .45 caliber pistol and one deformed slug.Police have yet to establish the motive for the k...

A couple was killed while their minor-son survived after they figured in an accident at Barangay Pandanon, Murcia, Sunday night, February 21.Police identified the victims as 27-year-old Arnel Calalas and his live-in partner, 22-year-old Jessa Laranio, while their minor-son sustained minor injuries.Based on the police report, the victims, on board a motorcycle, were on their way home when they crashed into the rear of a parked truck at the side of the road.The victims were brought to the Murcia Health Unit but were was pronounced dead on arrival.The truck driver identified as 19-year-old Hans Uyco of Barangay Igmaya-an, Salvador Benedicto, surrendered to the police.*

PDEA-6 photoAgents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-6 Special Enforcement Team arrested eight persons during a buy-bust operation at a drug den in Purok Cheriza 2, Barangay 27, Bacolod City, this afternoon, February 22.Nabbed were suspected drug den “maintainer” Rigor Diaz, Rona Rose Calabon, Jonathan Aguillon, Romeo Legaspi, Michael Millendez, Samuel Baustista, Niño Sulitas, and John Harven Delfin.Shey Tanaleon, PDEA-6 information officer, said the operatives recovered 12 grams of suspected shabu worth P81,600, drug paraphernalia, and drug bust money.The suspects will face drug charges.*