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An American citizen and his son were injured when their motorcycle hit a wingvan  at the  highway in Purok 3, Brgy. 4, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, Thursday, May 29. The 55-year-old American of Purok 9, Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan, and his minor son, were injured when their motorcycle hit the van driven by a 40-year-old man from Caloocan City, Metro Manila, the police reported.Police investigation revealed that the American and his son were travelling from Binalbagan going to Kabankalan City, while the van was headed in the opposite direction.The American overtook another vehicle and lost control of the motorcycle, the police reported.He swerved on to the opposite lane and bumped the wingvan, causing damages to both vehicles.The American and his son were brought to...

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Negros Island Region inaugurated its regional office at the Puer Sanctus Building at Doña Juliana Avenue in Bacolod City on Friday, May 30.“This new regional office symbolizes DILG’s strengthened commitment to fostering efficient and responsive governance across Negros Island Region — bringing the Department closer to the communities it serves in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and Bacolod City,” a DILG NIR Facebook post said.Present at the event were DILG Undersecretary Marlo L. Iringan, NIR OIC Regional Director Lailyn A. Ortiz, and Assistant Regional Director Teodora P. Sumagaysay.*

The Department of Health Central Office clarified that the two deaths in Siquijor province were not caused by glanders disease as earlier disclosed, but by melioidosis.DOH Secretary Teddy Herboso, in a national report, clarified that based on DNA analysis of the bacteria it was melioidosis.Health Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral said the two cases were tested twice. Genomic sequencing at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine showed that the two were hit with melioidosis, she said.It is a bacterial infection that infects humans and animals and is often spread through contact with contaminated soil, air or water, according to the US Center for Disease Control.The DOH Negros Island Region recently reported that the province of Siquijor had six confirmed cases of glande...

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III*PNA/Joan Bondoc photoThe Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) assures its full support for Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre II, the incoming Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.NOCPPO Director Col. Rainerio De Chavez said, in a statement Friday, May 30, that he is extending his unwavering support to Torre.Torre, who is the current Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director, will assume his new post on June 2.De Chavez said that his appointment marks a significant milestone as Torre was the first graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy to be appointed as PNP Chief.“With his leadership, I am confident that the PNP will continue to advance its mission of ensuring peace...

Former Negros Oriental 3rd District representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. being read his Miranda rights on a Philippine Air Force plane back to the Philippines.*President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, May 29, announced that former Negros Oriental 3rd District representative Arnolfo Teves Jr., who has been tagged as the mastermind in the murder of governor Roel Degamo, was deported from Timor-Leste and is now back in the Philippines."As we know the former congressman Arnie Teves is facing charges of murder and other crimes related to the ambush killing of the former (Negros Oriental) governor Degamo. We would like to assure all our citizens that such lawlessness will not go unpunished," Marcos said in a video statement."It is now time for Arnie Teves to face justice," Marcos said...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Dominique Lopez-Benitez.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez on Thursday, May 29, denied alleged economic and psychological abuse allegations hurled against him by his estranged wife, Dominique Lopez-Benitez.“Mayor Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez firmly denies the baseless and retaliatory allegations made against him by his estranged spouse under Republic Act No. 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, for alleged economic and psychological abuse,” a press release issued by his lawyer Peter Sanchez said on Thursday evening, May 29.The VAWC case was filed shortly after the Bacolod mayor initiated annulment proceedings in 2024, raising serious doubts about the complainant's motives, said Sanchez, in ...

A woman died after a dumptruck ran over her while she and her husband were headed for a funeral at Zone 1, Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, May 29.Maria Cecilia Martinez, 49, of Sitio Kabangahan, Brgy. Hilamonan, died after she fell from the motorcycle driven by her husband when it was allegedly sideswiped by an overtaking dumptruck.The victim and her husband, Leonardo, 49, were headed for the Kabankalan Public Cemetery to attend the funeral of a friend.The dumptruck driven by Gene Berondo, 58, of Brgy. Hilamonan, sideswiped the motorcycle causing Maria Cecilia to fall under the wheels of the truck causing severe head injuries.Her husband did not suffer any injuries.Maria Cecilia was brought to the Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital wher...

The police arrested a store caretaker after they seized suspected shabu worth P816,000 from him in a buy-bust operation in Purok Mapisanon, Brgy. Lantad, Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, May 28.Arrested was alias “Philip”, 41, male, the police said.Recovered from him were 120 grams of shabu, and the P12,000 buy-bust money, the police said.The suspect is now in police custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

There are no more African Swine Fever red zones in Negros Occidental, with Bacolod City and Escalante City now classified as pink zones.This was disclosed in the ASF Zoning update released by the National ASF Prevention and Control Program of the Bureau of Animal Industry on May 16.The other areas in Negros Occidental already classified as pink zones are Kabankalan City, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pulupandan, San Carlos, San Enrique, Silay City, Victorias City and Valladolid.In Negros Oriental, Ayungon, Bais City, Manjuyod, Valencia and Vallehermoso have also been classified as pink zones.Pink zones are areas previously infected, but the ASF virus has not been detected for at least 90 days, and thus has recovered from infected status, the Department Agriculture said....

Most of the common poster areas in Negros Occidental have been cleared of campaign materials, Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said on Thursday, May 29.However, in Bacolod City some campaign materials on electric posts and walls have yet to be removed.Most of the campaign materials that have not been cleared are of national candidates and partylist groups, Commission on Elections Negros Island Region Director Lionel Marco Castillano said.There are also private properties where campaign materials have not been removed, he said.Castillano also reminded candidates to file their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures by the deadline on June 11.June 11 is also the last day of the election period, which marks the end of the gun ban, and the ban on the tr...