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An alleged New People’ Army member facing charges for illegal possession of explosives and firearms in court has expressed her intention to turn state witness, Escalante City Prosecutor Ranela dela Fuente, said Monday, March 29.Aiza Chavez Gamao was arrested at a police checkpoint in Barangay Jonobjonob, Escalante, with seven other suspected NPA members for possession of firearms, hand grenades and improvised explosives on Sept. 18, 2019.Gamao, who is a mother of five, on her arrest was indentified as an officer of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) – Negros.After the presentation of the prosecution witnesses and a year of detention, Gamao has expressed her intention to tell all and testify for the Philippine government, said de la Fuente at a press conference attended b...

A 54-year-old man was shot to death outside of his residence at Barangay San Isidro in Toboso, Negros Occidental Sunday, March 28.Killed was Eddie Gumban, who was about to park his motorcycle in their garage when he was attacked by four unidentified suspects.Based on the police report, the suspects shot the victim several times.They then fled from the scene onboard two motorcycles without plate numbers.The victim died on the spot.The police have yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

The Philippine National Police will remain on full alert for Holy Week, and will ensure the observance of minimum health protocols against COVID-19 for the protection of all, Col. Romy Palgue, Negros Occidental provincial police director, said Monday, March 29.The police has been on full alert since last week for possible rebel atrocities leading to the 52nd founding anniversary of the New People’s Army this Monday, he said.Full alert means the entire police force will remain on duty to ensure a peaceful celebration of Holy Week, he said.Policemen will be deployed in churches, resorts, and beaches where the public converge, he said.The police will take action against those who violate health protocols, Palgue said, as he called for the cooperation of the public.*

A Bacolod corn vendor has been sentenced to life imprisonment for selling shabu worth P200 to a policeman.Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier of the Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 52 on Friday, March 26, found Alfie Magada Reynon guilty of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and also ordered him to pay a fine of P500,000.Reynon sold .044 gram of shabu to a police poseur buyer at Purok Mabinuligon, Barangay 30, Bacolod City, on Aug. 27, 2019, the court decision said.Reynon was also found guilty of possession of .683 gram of shabu and sentenced to a prison term of 12 years and 8 months as minimum to 17 years and 8 months as maximum, and to pay a fine of P300,000.The judge ordered his immediate transfer from the Bacolod City District Jail to the Nat...

Western Visayas, which includes Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, will remain under Modified General Community Quarantine in April, even as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia during the weekend said they were informed of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases decision to keep their areas under MGCQ in April.Leonardia said Bacolod will remain under MGCQ, contrary to "fake news" being circulated on social media that it would revert to Enhanced Community Quarantine.The Department of Health reported 62 new COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental and 25 in Bacolod City on Saturday and Sunday.“These are warning signs that we cannot afford to ignore,” Leonardia said.The threat is ther...

The Commission on Elections in Bacolod City will be closed from March 29-31 for disinfection, Negros Occidental Provincial Comelec Supervisor Ma. Fatima Aspan said Sunday, March 28.The temporary closure was ordered after a Bacolod Comelec employee tested positive for COVID-19, she said.The close contacts of the employee will be swabbed for COVID-19 tests at the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient Center at the BAYS Center on Monday, March 29, she added.They have been under strict self-isolation since Saturday, she added.Bacolod City Councilor Cindy Rojas Saturday, March 27, also said her office at the Bacolod City Government Center will be closed after one of her staff tested positive for COVID-19.She said Robert Jan Torres who has played a tremendous role in helping her off...

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang, and 14 others tested negative for COVID-19 Sunday, March 28.The offices of the governor, provincial administrator, Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) and Provincial Disaster Management Division Program (PDMDP) that were temporarily closed Friday will resume operations Monday, March 29, Diaz said.The Provincial Health Office that was operating on a skeletal force will also resume full operations, he added.The partial lockdown at the Capitol was enforced after Zeaphard Caelian, PIMT and PDMPD head, and three of his staff tested positive for COVID-19.The four were swabbed for RT-PCR tests in preparation for their COVID-19 inoculation. The...

Binalbagan PNPThree people, including a man who just got out of jail, were killed in separate shooting incidents in Negros Occidental in the past two days.Killed on March 27 at San Isidro Street, Barangay San Pedro in Binalbagan was 20-year-old Allen Rivera, who was just released from Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Binalbagan District Jail through plea bargaining.Based on a police report, Rivera was walking in front of the Alternative Learning School (ALS) building with his brother Arman and mother Marlin when he was attacked by two unidentified persons, who alighted from a gray vehicle, from behind.The suspects wore bonnets and their vehicle had no plate number.The victim’s mother and brother were able to run for cover.Rivera was brought to Binalbagan Infir...