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Jesus V. Hinlo Jr.*Jesus V. Hinlo Jr., Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Deputy Secretary General for Visayas and Provincial Council President of Negros Occidental,  said he may run for office in Bacolod City or for a national or partylist position in the 2025 elections. "For now I am seriously considering the possibility of running, that is the only thing I can tell you," he said on Thursday, August 1, when pressed for details. He said PDP, chaired by former president Rodrigo Duterte, is quietly organizing and they will announce their candidates for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in September. They may have new faces in politics, he said. It’s  a hard fight with the resources of the incumbents and the political machineries in the province, Hinlo said. ...

The NEPC office at Robinsons East *As Central Negros Electric Cooperative began the transition of management to the Negros Electric and Power Corporation, it advised its consumers that NEPC employees will now carry out some of its services starting August 1.In an advisory, CENECO said that NEPC-hired meter readers, disconnectors, and linemen will be deployed to carry out meter readings, billing services, disconnection, and troubleshooting activities.CENECO said the transition is part of their ongoing commitment to ensure uninterrupted and efficient service.“As we move from CENECO to NEPC, we ask for your cooperation in allowing NEPC’s dedicated team to conduct necessary activities in your premises”, the advisory said.NEPC spokesperson Jonathan Cabrera also said that the...

The police arrested a farmer after seizing firearms from him in Brgy. Bulanon, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, July 31.Alias “Toto”, 52, was arrested during the enforcement of a search warrant, the Police Regional Office-6 reported.Recovered were a homemade improvised pistol, a .45 caliber pistol with a magazine and six bullets, a hand grenade, and ammunition for a 12-gauge gun, the police said.The suspect is detained at the Sagay City Police Station and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 10591, also known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, the police added.*

The drugs seized in Victorias City.*NOCPPO photoThe police arrested a street-level drug personality and seized suspected shabu worth P136,000 in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. 13, Victorias City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, July 31.Arrested was Warven Garcia, alias “Langga”, 35, a resident of Purok Kulo, Brgy. Tiglawigan, Cadiz City, the police said.Recovered from him were 20 grams of suspected shabu, the police added.The suspect is now detained at the Victorias City Police Station while the seized shabu was brought to the Negros Occidental Provincial Forensic Unit for examination.*

Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas and the SB members turn over the new ambulance to Brgy. Alegria offiicials.*Three more barangays in Murcia, Negros Occidental, receive ambulances in line with the thrust of Mayor Gerry Rojas to boost the delivery of healthcare services to his constituents.Rojas, accompanied by the Sangguniang Bayan members, led the distribution on Tuesday, July 30, of three brand-new patient transport vehicles to barangays Buenavista, Sta. Rosa and Alegria located a considerable distance from the town proper, a press release from Murcia said.In April the mayor also turned over two patient transport vehicles to barangays Cansilayan and Lopez Jaena as part of the mayor’s program to provide a brand-new patient transport vehicles to all the 23 barangays in Murcia.“We ha...

The fire  that hit 81 houses in Purok Kagaykay, Brgy 2, Bacolod City, on  Wednesday,   July 31.*BFP Bacolod photo A fire believed to have been triggered by cardboard egg trays used as improvised mosquito repellents hit 81 houses at Purok Kagaykay, Brgy 2, Bacolod City, at 3:26 a.m. Wednesday, July 31.The fire destroyed 73  houses and damaged 8, mostly made of light materials, Supt. Jenny Mae Masip,  Bacolod fire marshal, said. Estimated damage was  P1,400,000, the BFP Bacolod reported.  About  344 residents were affected. The fire started from the house  Monaliza Magbanua occupied by a person identified only as alias “Waldo”, Masip said. The fire is believed to have been caused by burning cardboard eg...

Principal Reynaldo Mojares* The principal who fell off the roof of an elementary school building passed away at the Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City at 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, July 31, Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor confirmed.  Reynaldo Mojares, 60, principal of the Guinpana-an Elementary School in Moises Padilla, fell and hit his head on Sunday, Arnold Arnaez, Department of Education Division of Negros Occidental spokesperson, said on Tuesday.“It is extremely sad that he died because of his earnest desire to do something which was originally beyond his call of duty. If at all it speaks a lot about the present state of our educational system. I hope he will not die in vain,“ Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said.Grief stricken co...

The van that was destroyed in the explosion.* Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade photo The van that recently exploded in Purok Kametal, Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City, did not have a conveyance permit, which is needed for the delivery of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks, the Bacolod fire marshal said Wednesday, July 31. City Fire Marshal Supt. Jenny Mae Masip said that the driver of the vehicle did not present a conveyance permit from the BFP and denied that they have been delivering LPG tanks.Damage from the explosion on Monday caused by a probable LPG tank leak was about P703,000,  the Bacolod Fire Station reported. The driver and its two passengers sustained second-degree burns. Masip said that the van carried five 50-kilogram filled tanks and s...

The dismantled Talave Bridge.* The Department of Public Works and Highways  dismantled  the  Talave Bridge that connected Calatrava town to San Carlos City in Negros Occidental  to ensure public safety, DPWH Western Visayas Regional  Director Sanny Boy Oropel said on Wednesday, July 31. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) on July 16 issued a Cease-and-Desist Order (CDO) on the demolition of the Talave Bridge but by then it had already been dismantled, Oropel said.In fact even before he assumed his post as regional director of Western Visayas the dismantling of the bridge had already started, Oropel added.Oropel was appointed the DPWH regional director in August 2023  replacing  Nerie Bueno who was promote...

 The recovered  items from the encounter, the Army said.*3ID photo The Army has identified the alleged communist rebel who   was killed in an encounter in Purok 5, Barangay Basak, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, on Monday, July 29. Killed was Ramon Moico Enseniales, 64, an alleged member of the dismantled South West Front (SWF) Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (KR-NCBS), a 3rd Infantry Division press release said on Wednesday. Enseniales was identified by his wife who is a resident of Purok 1, Brgy. Tambad, Cauayan, the 3ID said. The Army said that 15th Infantry Battalion troopers encountered about five communist rebels that resulted in the death of Enseniales. An improvised 12-gauge shotgun, two hand grenades, three keypad cellphone...