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The Bayan Negros poster announcing its protest on Monday* Bayan Negros and Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition (KNETCO) are staging a Negros People’s SONA in Bacolod City on Monday morning, July 22, ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address in the afternoon.The protestors will assemble at the Rizal Park at Araneta Street in Bacolod City at 9 a.m. Monday.Bayan Negros said the state of the lives of the ordinary Filipino people has worsened under Marcos’ watch.Under “Bagong Pilipinas” there has been no change for the masses, a Bayan Negros statement said.Lilian Sembrano, KNETCO president, said her group is calling on the president to junk the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program to save operators and drivers from losing their livelihoods....

Two tricycle drivers who are believed to be members of a drug group in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, surrendered to the police on Saturday, July 20. The two suspects, whose names were withheld by the police, are alleged members of the Bacus Drug Group, the police said.The police said that Bacus Drug Group, is a sub-group of the Virtucio Gang. The two, who voluntarily surrendered, will be subjected to drug tests for adjudication and delisting from the drug watchlist, the police said.* 

Police operatives arrest the  suspected drug pusher (in gray hoodie) during a buy-bust in Barangay Cangmating, Sibulan.*NOPPO photo Anti-illegal drug operatives seized suspected shabu worth almost P2.9 million during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Cangmating, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, close to midnight Friday, July 19.The suspected shabu weighed about 422.6 grams with an estimated street value of P2.87 million, Lt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, said on Saturday.The suspect, identified only as “Ren-ren”, 35, of Barangay Batinguel, Dumaguete City, was arrested after allegedly selling the illegal drug to an undercover police operative.“Ren-ren is in the police’s list of suspected drug personalities and is tagged as a high-valu...

The police raided an alleged drug den and arrested three persons in a buy-bust operation in Sitio Mocabog, Brgy. Washington, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, July 20. Arrested were  alias “Melchor”, “Joemarie”, and “Roland”. Seized  from them were 10 sachets  containing suspected shabu, a .38 caliber revolver with ammunition, the  buy-bust money, improvised tooters,  disposable lighters, and a plastic canister, the police reported. The suspects are detained at the Escalante Police Station and the seized  drug evidence were brought to Police Regional Forensics Unit for examination, the police said.* 

The Sagay City Police arrested the second most wanted person in Western Visayas in an operation at Sitio Amihan, Brgy. Celestino Villacin, Cadiz City, on Saturday, July 20.Alias “Tito Algin”, a resident of Sagay City, was arrested for multiple serious offenses, the police reported.The arrest was executed by virtue of arrest warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 73 judge in Sagay City on July 18.The suspect is facing raps for five counts of statutory rape with no bail recommended, seven counts of rape by sexual account with P70,000 bail, and 11 counts of violation of the child-abuse law with bail at P110,000. The suspect is detained at the Sagay City Police Station.* 

Col. Noel Calderon Aliño* The Philippine National Police relieved Col. Noel Aliño as Bacolod City police director and reassigned him to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group effective Friday, July 19.PCol. Ritchie Cruzero, Bacolod City Police Office deputy director for administration, will act as BCPO officer-in-charge until a new police director is appointed, Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, director of the Police Regional Office 6, said.The PRO6 Placement and Promotions Board will come up with a shortlist of qualified officers to enable Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez to choose Aliño’s replacement, Wanky said.Aliño, who was assigned to the BCPO on April 18, 2023, may be appointed to head the CIDG National Capital Region,  a source said. Th...

The wallet and the fake bills recovered at the Libertad Public Market.*Bacolod PIO photo Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Friday night, July 19, warned the public against the circulation of fake money. Benitez, in a post on his Facebook page,  said a wallet  was found at the  Libertad Public Market  Friday morning and when the market supervisor   opened it she found that it contained  fake P500 bills. Market supervisor Theresa Robles  said a  market cleaner  endorsed the wallet found on Friday morning to her that contained P8,410, including   fake P500 bills. Last week a lot of vendors complained  that they were paid with  fake bills, Robles said. Many of the older ve...