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La Castellana town in Negros Occidental already has a contingency plan for the upcoming elections if Alert Level 4 is raised at Kanlaon Volcano, Regional Director Lionel Marco Castillano of the Commission on Elections-Negros Island Region said Friday, Feb. 28.The contingency plan will allow the COMELEC to set up polling centers in areas outside the 10-kilometer danger zone but still within La Castellana if Alert Level 4 is raised, he said.The contingency plan submitted by the La Castellana Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office was adopted by the Comelec, he said.Under the plan the Comelec will set up makeshift polling stations within La Castellana in areas outside the 10-kilometer danger zone, Castillano said.Now that La Castellana has submitted its contingency pl...

The police arrested one person and seized suspected shabu worth P136,000 in a buy-bust operation in Purok New Site, Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, 9:20 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27.Arrested was alias “Rod”, 37, of Purok 3, Minoyan, the police said.The police said they recovered two sachets of suspected shabu weighing 20 grams from “Rod”.He is now in police custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

The La Castellana candidates release white balloons after signing the peace covenant.*NOCPPO photoPeaceful midterm elections are expected in Negros Occidental, Col. Rainerio de Chavez, Police Provincial Director, said on Friday, Feb. 28.De Chavez, who led the Unity Walk, Interfaith Prayer and Peace Covenant Signing Ceremony in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, called on the candidates for the 2025 midterm elections to follow the law and maintain a peaceful, orderly and honest election."We can say that Negros Occidental is peaceful, and we have no election areas of concern. That is the current situation in Negros Occidental," de Chavez said.There are no identified areas of concern yet because the local campaign period has not started, he said.Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangil...

Raul Fernandez, Regional Task Force Kanlaon head*The proposed permanent evacuation sites for residents affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest in Canlaon City and La Castellana town will cost about P1 billion, Raul Fernandez, Regional Task Force Kanlaon head, said on Thursday, Feb 27.However, it will be up to the Kanlaon national task force created by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make the final decision and source the funds, Fernandez said.The proposed plan will have to be presented to the national task force for consideration and approval, he said.Permanent evacuation sites are being proposed for about 35,000 families each in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental and La Castellana in Negros Occidental that are expected to be the hardest hit by a major Kanlaon volcano eruption,...

The slain former policeman in Bago City*A former policeman and a farmer were shot to death by unidentified gunmen in Bago City and Calatrava town in Negros Occidental on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 26 and 27.Reynaldo Bernel, a former policeman who was working as a head guard at a chicken farm, died after he was peppered with bullets by five unidentified persons at a bridge in Purok Michelle, Brgy. Dulao, Bago City, Thursday.The victim came from the school of his child when five persons shot him multiple times causing his death, the police said.The police recovered sixteen 5.56mm and six 9mm empty shells, and the motorcycle, handheld radio and phone of the victim from the crime scene.The victim was allegedly involved in the shooting of a policeman in E.B. Magalona in ...

The Medina Water Treatment Facility resumed full operations on Wednesday.*San Carlos LGU photoWater supply to the southern  and northern parts of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental have been fully restored. The Medina Water Treatment Facility that was damaged by Sunday's floods resumed normal operations on Wednesday, Mayor Renato Gustilo said on Thursday, Feb. 27. The facility provides water to 4,000 households in the southern part of the city. The  power transformer that busted  at the Barangay Punao Water Treatment Plant on Tuesday, affecting the water supply in the northern part of San Carlos City has also been replaced. The San Carlos  City Waterworks Department on Thursday  night said “we are pleased to inform you that the damaged or blown current transformer a...

Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko, Abang Lingkod first nominee.*Richard Malihan photoThe first nominee of the Abang Lingkod party-list group said he has not received a notice from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for violating campaign rules yet, but will comply with its orders.Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko, Abang Lingkod first nominee, said on Thursday, Feb. 27, said he wants to know the specifics of his party’s violations so they can be acted upon.Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said on Wednesday that 34 party-list organizations participating in the May 2025 polls, including Abang Lingkod, are set to receive notices from the Comelec for violating campaign rules."Their campaign materials have the wrong sizes, are not envir...

A student died after he fell from his motorcycle at Purok Nami-Nami, Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City, 1 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27.The victim identified by the police only as “Jun” was a resident of Bago City.The victim was allegedly driving fast when he lost control of his motorcycle causing him to fall and sustain head and body injuries that caused his death, the police said.The police are still verifying if the victim was drunk.The victim was not wearing a helmet during the accident and the police reported that his death was self-inflicted.*

Athletic delegations from across Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental, have arrived in San Jose de Buenavista in Antique, and are gearing up for a tough but fair competition at the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) Meet 2025.The playing venues are nearly ready, with athletes already conducting tune-up games, Antique Provincial Engineer Inocencio Dajao Jr., who is overseeing the preparations for the event, said on Thursday, Feb. 27.“We have completed preparations for most playing venues, except for the rubber overlay of the oval track at the Binirayan Sports Complex in San Jose de Buenavista,” Dajao said. He added that the overlay is being rushed for completion by Friday, February 28, to allow athletes to familiarize themselves with the track.Claire J...

The police arrested six persons in a buy-bust operation in Purok Mahogany, Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Feb. 26.Arrested were alias “Duro”, 65, “Inday”, 35, “Arnold”, 28, “Jason”, 28, “Pantal”, 31, and “Bebit”, 30, all residents of Purok Mahogany, the police reported on Thursday.The police said they seized six sachets of suspected shabu weighing eight grams estimated to cost P54,400 from them.The suspects are now in police custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*