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Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran*Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran called an alleged complaint lodged against him and his wife before the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas in Cebu City political harassment.Familiaran, who is running for mayor of Bacolod against Rep. Greg Gasataya, said the complaint is clearly harassment given the timing of its filing so close to the May 12 polls.Familiaran said he has not received a copy of the complaint allegedly filed by three former job order workers of the city government against him and his wife, Ana Portia Familiaran, who was then Administrative Officer III at the General Services Office of Bacolod City, for violation of Republic Act 3019, also known as The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.A document released ...

Jagpreet Singh answering questions from the media on Saturday.*Romeo Subaldo photoThe Indian national tagged in the Good Friday procession tragedy that left three dead and 16 injured was released from the Bacolod Police Station 5 detention cell on Tuesday, April 22.Jagpreet Singh, 37, was freed after posting a P60,000 bail, PCol. Joeresty Coronica, Bacolod police director, confirmed on Wednesday.Singh is facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injuries, and damage to properties.He was driving a Toyota Innova that hit a tricycle at the procession causing it to split in half with one part landing on the hood of a police patrol vehicle and other half hitting some of the people in the procession, the police said.The three pas...

The Binalbagan River clean up drive.*Binalbagan LDRRMOThe Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company assured the public of their urgency and diligence in cleaning up the Binalbagan River, while the local government unit opened the Pangiplan River Irrigation System to help dilute the molasses after about six tons spilled from the sugar mill on April 19.BISCOM, in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 23, said that they are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of the molasses spill. It was a “Maillard reaction” which led to increased pressure that caused the overflow of molasses from their storage tanks, it said.Maillard reaction is a non-enzymatic browning reaction that occurs when reducing sugars react with amino acids in food when heated.The sugar company said that they...

Vice President Sara Duterte (right) with Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday.*Kizza Mangilimutan photoVice President Sara Duterte visited residents displaced by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest in Negros Island and distributed rice assistance on Wednesday, April 23.Duterte, at a press conference at the La Carlota City National High School - Junior High, said she wanted to check on the situation of the evacuees who have been displaced for more than four months.She distributed 25 kilos of rice to each of the 2,514 displaced families in La Castellana, La Carlota City and Canlaon City on Wednesday.The rice aid came from a Bacolod businessman, she said.Hygiene kits will also be provided for the evacuees, she said.Duterte said her office has ...

A provincial government community kitchen for the evacuees*The Negros Occidental provincial government has realigned the P14 million intended for a permanent relocation site in La Castellana town to fund the food needs of the evacuees, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Wednesday, April 23.The proposed relocation site in La Castellana was disapproved because it is near a sanitary landfill so the funds were realigned, he said.Once there is an approved relocation plan Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has assured that the provincial government can source other funds for it, Diaz said.The fourth wave operations of the community kitchens of the provincial government for the Kanlaon Volcano evacuees in Negros Occidental will start on Thursday, April 24.Diaz of the P50 m...

Vice President Sara Duterte at a press conference in La Castellana on Wednesday.*Kizza Mangilimutan photoVice President Sara Duterte reiterated on Wednesday, April 23, that she is not endorsing any local candidates for now and is focusing on campaigning for the senatorial candidates of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP).Duterte, who held a press conference in La Carlota City, said aside from the PDP bets she is also endorsing the Senate bids of Senator Imee Marcos and Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar of the administration’s ticket.She said they are friends and share her vision for the country.The PDP senatorial slate includes James Patrick R. Bondoc, Senators Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go, Raul L. Lambino, televangelist Apollo C. Quibo...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a bill seeking to establish a Land Transportation Office in Ilog, Negros Occidental, into law.The bill was authored by Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District).Republic Act 12167 or “An act establishing a district office of the Land Transportation Office in the Municipality of Ilog, Province of Negros Occidental, and appropriating funds therefor”, was signed by the president on April 11.With the enactment of the law, the Department of Transportation will immediately include in their program the operationalization of the LTO District Office in Ilog and it will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.The act was passed by the House of Representatives on Jan. 23, 2024, was amended by the Senate on Dec. 17 of the sam...

The police recover empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol in front of Siason’s house.*The Negros Press Club condemned on Wednesday, April 23, the alleged strafing incident that transpired at the house of a media man in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, and urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation.The alleged strafing incident transpired at the house of NPC past president Reynaldo Siason.The press club asked the police for a speedy investigation and identification of the suspects behind the crime.“NPC is asking the Philippine National Police to conduct a thorough investigation about this matter, as it causes fear and trauma to the lives of Siason and his family”, the statement said.It added that NPC does not tolerate any form of intimidation, violence, and threa...

Mark David Morris, 44, a British national, was reported by his wife as missing*Search and rescue (SAR) operations for a missing British national in Dauin, Negros Oriental, will continue on Thursday after initial efforts on Wednesday yielded negative results.Lt. Marionne Abigail Enopia, Coast Guard Negros Oriental station commander, said that Mark David Morris, 44, was reported missing at 8 a.m. Wednesday to the Dauin police by his wife, 42-year-old Emily Tan Fern, a Singapore resident.“Our Coast Guard (CG) personnel in Dauin and Zamboanguita, together with the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office (DRRMO), conducted a search early Wednesday after receiving reports of the missing person,” Enopia said.SAR teams scoured the waters of Dauin and its neighboring...

Rep. Emilio “Dino” Yulo*Rep. Emilio “Dino” Yulo (Neg. Occ., 5th District) on Wednesday, April 23, thanked the Lakas CMD directorate and Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) for supporting his reelection bid.Among his allies in the 5th District are mayors Ella Garcia-Yulo of Moises Padilla, Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan of La Castellana and Nadie Arceo of Hinigaran.But the most important endorsement will come from the people and this will happen on election day, Yulo said.Paduano said Yulo was present at a national meeting of the Lakas CMD on Tuesday, which shows the party's support for him.Among those who attended the national party meeting were mayoral candidates El Cid Familiaran of Bacolod City, Rowena Lizares of Talisay City, Salvador Escalante Jr. of Cadiz ...