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A survey shows Jose Benito Alonso, Eugenio Jose Lacson and Jeffrey Ferrer (l-r) winning.* Ronnie Baldonado photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson  (Nationalist People’s Coalition) said  on Wednesday, May 7, that  the latest local survey shows that if elections were held today,  he would win the governorship. The survey also shows that Jose Benito  Alonso who is running for vice governor  and Vice Governor Jeffery Ferrer, who is running for congressman of the Fourth District, will win, he said. Alonso and  Ferrer are members of the National Unity Party/United Negros Alliance. Ther four other candidates for governor are former Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino)  Ferdinand &nbs...

Soldiers  of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion   buried an alleged rebel who was killed in an encounter in Brgy. Humay-Humay, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, on  May 1, after no family member claimed his remains. They buried Tony Pahayahay, alias “Aldren/Redol”, 53,  at  the Guihulngan Public Cemetery, on Tuesday, May 6,  the 62nd IB reported.  Pahayahay, a resident of Barangay Bulado, Guihulngan City, was a member of  the Squad 2, Sentro De Grabidad, of the dismantled Central Negros 1 of the New People’s Army, it said. He was abandoned by his fleeing comrades during the encounter, the report added. The 62IB soldiers seized an  M-4 assault rifle, M-16 rifle, three M-16 long magazines, 30 bul...

Department of Economic Planning and Development - Negros Island Region concurrent regional director Arecio Casing Jr. leads the strategic meeting on the proposed NIR Tunnel Connector with Himamaylan City officials on Wednesday* The proposed construction of the Himamaylan-Tayasan tunnel connector in the Negros Island Region (NIR) is poised to spur growth in the newly formed administrative region and the rest of the Visayas, a key official of the Department of Economic Planning and Development (DEPDev) said on Wednesday, May 7. In a statement, DEPDev-NIR concurrent regional director Arecio Casing Jr. said the connector project would use the most relevant construction technology to achieve the safest, fastest, and economical mode of travel between the key cities east and west of ...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sought help for Manny Pacquiao (center)  Benhur Abalos Jr., and  Francis Tolentino*President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked  the country’s governors to help three senatorial candidates of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas win in the May 12 polls, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, May 7. The three  are Benhur Abalos Jr., Francis Tolentino and Manny Pacquiao, Lacson said. The president asked the governors, especially those who have no opponents, to push for these three during a meeting on May 5, Lacson said. The surveys show that the other Alyansa bets are already in the winning circle, Lacson pointed out. The president left it to the governors to decide whether they will support his sister, re-electionist Imee M...

The seized shabu at  Country Homes Subdivision in Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City.* The Bacolod police arrested a 54-year-old man and seized suspected shabu worth P476,000 in a buy-bust operation at Country Homes Subdivision in Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City, on Wednesday, May 7. Arrested was Remwil Sellado, alias “Hapon”, 54, the police said.  Seized from the suspect were  70 grams of suspected shabu, the buy-bust money and other non-drug items, the police added. Sellado is not under police custody  and will be charged for  violation of  the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The Bacolod City Police Office also seized suspected shabu worth P2.69 million last week, from April 28 to May 4. The drugs were seized in 12 anti-i...

Cauayan mayoral candidate Jurry Nabaja being interviewed at the Comelec provincial office on Tuesday.* Ronnie Baldonado photoA complaint seeking the disqualification of Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara from running for reelection was filed before the Commission on Elections' Kontra Bigay Complaint Center on Tuesday, May 6, his opponent Jurry Nabaja said.Nabaja alleged that on April 29, the mayor was present at the distribution of government aid to senior citizens at the Cauayan Arts Center in violation of the Omnibus Elections Code in relation to Comelec Resolution 11104 on abuse of state resources.Resolution No. 11104 defines abuse of state resources as the misuse of government property, funds and manpower by government officials for partisan political activity and their undue ...

Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer at his grand rally in Bago City on Tuesday.*Ronnie Baldonado photo ”The Power of Fourth” came out in full force to support Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer who is running for congressman of the 4th District of Negros Occidental at his grand rally at the Manuel Y. Torres Sports Complex in Bago City on Tuesday, May 6.Ferrer, who was celebrating his 56th birthday, began the day by attending a mass at the Our Lady of Peace Parish Church in La Carlota City with his wife, Rep. Juliet Ferrer, and his political allies followed by a caravan to Bago City.The mayors of the Fourth District, including opposing mayoral candidates in La Carlota and Valladolid, came out in full force to show their support for Ferrer at his grand rally.Present were Bago Mayor Nicholas ...

A 21-year-old woman with a chain around her ankle was found dead in a river in Brgy. 2, Ilog, Negros Occidental, Tuesday morning, May 6.Lt. Rygie Pigar, Ilog Deputy Police Chief, said that the victim was identified as Jenny Gallego, 21, of Brgy. Bantayan, Kabankalan City, and was reported missing twice before she was found in the river in Sitio Malabong in Brgy. 2.The police said that the victim had a chain on her ankle because she was restrained by her family so she could not get out of their house as she was suffering from a mental illness.However, she was given a hammer by one of her siblings, which she used to break the chain and went missing on May 3.She was found by her other sibling on May 4 and was brought home and she went missing again on Monday, May 5.The vic...

Election supplies arrive at the Comelec provincial office in Bacolod City on Tuesday, May 6.*Ronnie Baldonado photo“Keep your cool and reign in your supporters”, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official reminded candidates with less than a week left before the May 12 elections.Comelec Negros Island Region Assistant Regional Director Jossil Macute on Tuesday, May 6, said as tension rises as the polls near candidates should keep their cool to be examples to their supporters and to prevent violence.The preparations for the May 12 are set and we are so near the finish line, be a leader for peace and development, Macute said.“Just let the people cast their votes, you’ve done your best…let the people decide,” Macute said.The last day for campaigning is Saturday, and a liq...

The number of fire incidents in Bacolod City dropped by 58 percent in the first four months of this year, the Bacolod City Fire Station reported on Tuesday, May 6.There were 60 fire calls from January to April this year, which are 58 percent lower compared to the 143 fire calls in the same period in 2024.,Of the 60 incidents, 31 involved residential buildings, 11 - non-residential, four - vehicular fires, and three - non-structural fires.Damage also significantly decreased by P21 million from January to April, at P5,228,950 this year compared to P26,496,750 in the same period in 2024.The number of injured persons also decreased by 73 percent, from 11 last year to three this year, the report added.*