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Fireworks over the Bacolod City Government Center to usher in the New Year.* Andrew Altarejos photoThe 2026 New Year’s celebration across the province was generally peaceful, with no major incidents recorded, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office said on Monday, Jan. 5.The security operations were implemented province-wide to ensure public safety during the celebration period, NOCPPO said.Police said a total of 2,071 personnel, including members of the PNP Advocacy Group, were deployed to provide security and public assistance.Despite the peaceful assessment, police recorded 67 firecracker-related incidents that resulted in 75 injuries.Authorities said about 80 percent of the incidents and 90 percent of the injuries were recorded a day after New Year’s Eve.Poli...

Police authorities in the Negros Island Region seized more than 1.1 kilograms of suspected shabu valued at ₱6.86 million during a series of anti-illegal drugs operations conducted from Dec. 29, 2025, to Jan. 4.Data released by the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) showed that 27 anti-drug operations were conducted during the period, resulting in the arrest of 30 individuals.The seized suspected shabu weighed 1,120.611 grams, with a standard drug price estimated at P6,860,694.80.Aside from anti-drug operations, police also intensified efforts against wanted persons, arresting 26 individuals through 26 separate operations.Of those arrested, three were classified as most wanted persons while 23 were other wanted persons, the PRO-NIR reported.Thirty poli...

There were also 152 fireworks-related injuries recorded, the DOH-NIR also reported.*There were 558 persons injured and seven died in road crash incidents, mostly involving motorcycles, across the Negros Island Region over the holiday season, the Department of Health-NIR reported on Sunday, Jan. 4.Negros Occidental recorded the highest volume of road crashes with 328 injured, while Negros Oriental followed with 152, Siquijor with 66, and Bacolod City with 12 from December 21 to January 4.There were four  road crash deaths in Negros Occidental, two in Negros Orienbtal and one in Siquijor. There were also 152 fireworks-related injuries recorded during the same period, the DOH-NIR said.Negros Occidental had the most number of fireworks-injured r...

Thirteen families consisting of 39 individuals living near the shoreline in Barangay Batea, E.B. Magalona, were preventively evacuated Sunday night, Jan. 4, Vice Mayor Marvin Malacon said.They were preventively evacuated because of expected high tide and strong winds, he said.In Cadiz City, above-knee-level flooding that hit three barangays subsided on Sunday, Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said.Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante said they had no flooding evacuees, but there were storm surges in coastal areas.A storm surge is a rapid rise in sea level caused by strong winds and low atmospheric pressure.The waves were so big some small fishing boats were damaged, and an inventory is ongoing, Escalante said.*

Screengrab from Rea Mae Castronuevo Lachica video on Facebook*The Valencia Police Station in Negros Oriental clarified that the fiery object seen falling from the sky in a viral video posted on Jan. 2 was not a “bulalakaw” or meteorite but a parachute flare. The clarification came after an investigation conducted by the Valencia police in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection–Valencia. Authorities explained that a parachute flare is a pyrotechnic distress signal designed to emit a bright, long-burning light while descending slowly with the aid of a parachute. Police said that parachute flares are commonly used in marine emergencies by ships and lifeboats for long-range signaling during both day and night operations. Under Safety of Life at Sea regulations, authorities said par...

The public is advised not to believe malicious posts on Facebook declaring that there will be no classes in Bacolod City on Monday, January 5, the city government announced Sunday evening.Mayor Greg Gasataya did not issue an order suspending classes due to foul weather, it said.The mayor does not issue an order without basis, don’t be fooled by these kind of rumors or fake news, it added.*

A 20-year-old woman was found dead after apparently drowning in a river in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.Police said the victim’s body was discovered at around 6 p.m. along the river in Purok Paghida-et, Brgy Tampalon.They identified the victim as a single woman and a resident of Purok Buslogan, Brgy. Camingawan, Kabankalan.The victim’s mother reported that her daughter was last seen at around 2 p.m. on December 31 after she was instructed to deliver food to her grandmother.The victim failed to return home after several hours, prompting her mother to conduct a search.Police said the victim usually used a bamboo raft to cross the river to her grandmother’s house.At around 5:30 p.m. on Jan 1, the victim’s mother received a call from a...

Police seized more than ₱1.02 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested a high-value individual during a buy-bust operation in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, on Friday, Jan. 2.The Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region said operatives of the Dumaguete City Police Station conducted the operation at Purok 7, Diversion Road, Brgy. Batinguel.Police identified the suspect as alias “Melsac,” 46, married, and a resident of Purok Santan, Barangay Taclobo, Dumaguete City.Authorities said the operation was launched after a confidential informant reported that the suspect was actively selling illegal drugs in the area.Police added that validation revealed the suspect had a previous arrest for illegal drug-related offenses.During the operation, police recovered a sachet ...