Top Stories

The police apprehended two persons for alleged illegal fishing at the Macahulom Reef at the Sagay Marine Reserve in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, June 17.Apprehended were alias “Norberto”, 44, the boat captain, and alias “Jesmar”, 36, boat crew, of Daan Banwa, Brgy. 9, Victorias City.The Sagay Police together with the Sagay Bantay Dagat Task Force conducted the operation and caught the suspects in the act of “trawling”, an illegal fishing activity.Recovered from them were a fishing boat, two sets of fishing nets, 100 kilograms of assorted fish, and styrofoam boxes valued at about P717,800.The case and recovered evidence have been referred to the Sagay Marine Reserve/Protected Area Management Board (SMR/PAMB) for appropriate action and the fishermen are curre...

Anadolu photoThe Philippine government is all set for the repatriation of Filipinos from Israel and Iran, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday, June 18.Marcos said the government was able to look for an alternate route to ensure the safe return of the displaced Filipinos from the two Middle East countries.“The problem we had in evacuating them was that because of the war, many airports were closed. So we are looking for a route where we can get them out,” Marcos said.“But we have been able to do that and the first batch, in fact, (Department of Migrant Workers) Secretary Cacdac is already on his way to Jordan para ma-coordinate (to coordinate) both the evacuees from Israel and evacuees from Iran,” he added.Marcos said the repatriation of affected Filipinos i...

An Indian national was injured after he was shot multiple times by unidentified suspects in Purok Crotons, Brgy. Poblacion 2, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, June 17.Injured was alias “Singh”, 55, who is temporarily residing in Purok Kadalag-an, Brgy. 13, Victorias City, the police said.He was shot at by unidentified suspects riding on a motorcycle at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday.Lt. Col. Alvimar Flores, Sagay Police Chief, said that the victim was driving his motorcycle going to a wake of his friend, who is also an Indian national, in Sagay.When the victim arrived, the unidentified suspects followed him and suddenly shot him multiple times in the back.The suspects fled and the victim was brought to the Lopez District Farmers Hospital and later transferred to Rive...

Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office operatives seized suspected shabu worth P588,000 in their weeklong anti-illegal drug operations from June 9 to 15.They conducted 21 anti-illegal drug operations which led to the arrest of 21 individuals, the NORPPO reported.They seized 86.53 grams of suspected shabu valued at P588,404 and 15 grams of marijuana with an estimated street drug price of P1,800, the report added.They also arrested 50 individuals during 27 anti-illegal gambling operations and confiscated P4,680 worth of bet money.They Negros Oriental police also arrested two most wanted and 49 other wanted persons from the 49 operations against wanted persons.*

An electrician of a telecommunications company was injured when he was electrocuted in Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City, Wednesday morning, June 18.Injured was Manolito Godinez, 47, a telco technician and resident of Lower Mohon, Talisay City, Cebu.The victim was installing a cable when he touched a primary electricity line, which caused the electrocution, the police said.He fell on the ground and was brought to a hospital.*

The Negros Occidental provincial government has set up a help desk and will provide assistance to Negrense overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who may be distressed and displaced by the escalating tensions in the Middle East, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, June 17.The continued exchange of air strikes between Israel and Iran has prompted at least 109 OFWs to express their intent to return home, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Cacdac said on Tuesday.One Filipina was critically injured in an Iranian air strike and remained at a hospital in Israel, he said.Israel and Iran were trading air strikes for the fifth day on Tuesday.  At least 224 people have been killed in Iran and  24 in Israel since the hostilities begam, CNN reported.Lacson said he i...

Former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves*Detained former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves was hospitalized on Tuesday, June 17, and needs major surgery, his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said.Topacio, in a statement released to the media, said after being examined at a government hospital Tuesday morning until mid-afternoon, the doctors decided that Teves' condition requires major surgery in another hospital with additional equipment and facilities.Teves had been recommended by government doctors to be transferred to St. Luke's Medical Center, Bonifacio Global City, following accepted proper Bureau of Jail Management and Penology official protocols involving such serious emergency cases, he said.All trial courts before which Teves has pending cases have been informed of the s...

A quarry guard died after he was trapped inside his burning house in Hacienda Navidad, Brgy. Caduha-an, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, June 17.He was identified as Alan Alibutdon, 52.Fire Officer 3 Rolly Quiatchon, Fire Investigator of the Bureau of Fire Protection- Cadiz City, said that the incident was only reported to them at about 7 a.m. on Tuesday and they found the victim dead when they arrived.The fire started at the northern part of the house, which is made of cement and light materials, Quiatchon said.Residents did not notice the fire since the victim had no nearby neighbor.The fire investigator said that they are still investigating the cause of the fire.The house had no electricity and the victim might have used a candle or kerosene lamp, Qui...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said on Tuesday, June 17, that he will coordinate with the Negros Occidental provincial government and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to strengthen monitoring measures against mpox.The mayor is eyeing the thermal scanning of incoming passengers at seaports and at the Bacolod Silay Airport for fever as a precautionary measure against mpox.Benitez on Sunday announced the first mpox case in Bacolod City, which he said is an isolated case.The patient who is confined at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital has had no history of travel outside Bacolod, he said.Benitez said he has directed the City Health Office to investigate how the patient acquired mpox.The mpox variant that the patient has...

It’s a public holiday in Bacolod City on Wednesday, June 18.Republic Act 11146 declared June 18 of every year a special nonworking holiday in Bacolod City to mark its Charter Day.Bacolod will mark its 87th Charter Day with a mobile parade at 6:15 a.m. and a flag raising ceremony at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds at 8 a.m. where Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez will deliver his Charter Day message.The city’s “Be the Change” awardees will be honored in the evening.Benitez will deliver his State of the City Address on June 25.The mass oath-taking and inauguration of the Bacolod City officials will be at the BCGC on June 28.Benitez will assume his post as congressman of Bacolod, while Rep. Greg Gasataya will take over as city mayor.*