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The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command of the New People’s Army-Northern Negros Guerrilla Front claimed responsibility for the killing of a former barangay tanod in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Friday night, June 5.In a statement dated June 9, the rebel group claimed that the victim, identified as Momarlito Alingasa, was killed at around 7:50 p.m. in Sitio Pison, Brgy. Minautok.The NPA alleged that the victim was an intelligence asset of the Philippine National Police in Calatrava and the 79th Infantry Battalion.It also alleged that the victim was involved in illegal drugs and gun-for-hire activities in Calatrava.The rebel group claimed that a firefight occurred during the incident and that several items were recovered from the victim, including alleged drug paraphernalia, an i...

The cellphone number  used in a false fire report in Bacolod City has been recorded and may be subjected to further investigation, the Bacolod City Fire Station said. City Fire Marshal FSupt. Jenny Mae Masip  on Tuesday condemned the false emergency report and fraudulent food delivery orders that occurred at an address in Villa Angela Subdivision, Brgy. Villamonte, on Monday night, June 8.Masip said the Bacolod City Fire Station received information at around 8:40 p.m. from the Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade about a reported residential fire in the area.Firefighters were immediately dispatched in accordance with emergency response protocols, but responders discovered that no fire had occurred.Further information gathered showed that the same address was alleged...

A Grade 7 student was found in possession of suspected drug paraphernalia inside a school in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, June 8.The incident happened at around 12:15 p.m., the police said.The Talisay City Police Station received a call from a teacher after the student council president reportedly saw an improvised tooter concealed in the minor’s pocket.Acting on the information, the teacher interviewed the student, who voluntarily retrieved the item from her pocket and showed it to school personnel.Responding police personnel proceeded to the school and took custody of the recovered item.Police said the minor was informed of the nature of the offense and her constitutional rights in a language she understood, in the presence of her guardian, personnel of...

The earthquake toppled this building in General Santos Monday morning.*Philippine Red Cross photoNegros Occidental is prepared to send its trained Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) teams to earthquake-hit areas in Mindanao, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday, July 8.“We are just waiting for the augmentation requests from the Office of Civil Defense,” he said.“Financial aid will follow after we get more information about damages and the number of people affected,” he said.Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said we do not know the extent of the damage yet, but local government units should also help the earthquake-hit areas.The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the number of fatalities from the m...

Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez  on Monday, June 8, said he  favors  the election of the country’s senators on a regional level to ensure that all regions in the country are properly represented.Benitez said that under the current system, where senators are elected nationally, the process inherently favors high-profile, popular individuals. As a result, genuine representation for each distinct region is often lost.Under Benitez’s proposal, two senators would be elected from each of the country’s 18 regions, bringing the total number of Senate seats to 36.However, while  many agree with his proposal implementing it would require  Charter Change, which would be difficult at this time, Benitez said.SENATE LEADERSHIP DISPUTEBenitez a...

The signing of the MOAs on Monday*CPG photoIn a major push toward a circular economy, Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez launched city-wide partnerships with local businesses  on Monday afternoon, June 8, to convert used cooking oil into affordable biodiesel, providing a much-needed lifeline to local fishermen struggling with high fuel costs.Representatives of the participating business establishments gathered at the SMX Convention Center Bacolod to sign memorandums of agreement (MOA) with Green Solutions Inc., the company tasked with implementing the "Biodiesel: Collect, Recycle, Renew" project.Green Solutions Inc., headed by Ian Fred Solas, is an accredited waste transporter and treatment, storage, and disposal facility.The initiative ...

Mayor Greg Gasataya led the distribution of free school supplies at A.L. Jayme Elementary School on Monday, June 8, marking the official launch of Bacolod City’s school supplies and P.E. uniform distribution program for public school learners.The program will benefit approximately 113,000 students from Kindergarten to Senior High School enrolled in public schools under the Department of Education–Division of Bacolod.Following the kickoff, the city-wide distribution continued at Kabugwason Elementary School, Mandalagan Elementary School, and Abkasa Elementary School, where  Gasataya and city officials  handed out school kits to learners.The initiative aims to help ease the financial burden on families and ensure students begin the school year with the basic materials t...

A 50-year-old barber was shot dead while cutting a customer’s hair inside his shop in Bacolod City on Sunday night, June 7.Police identified the victim as Carlito Alcala Jr., a resident of Arao Dos, Brgy. Vista Alegre.The shooting happened at around 7 p.m. at Blk. 110, Lot 1, Arao Dos.Police investigation revealed that the victim was cutting the hair of a male minor when an unidentified man wearing a cap suddenly entered and shot him several times.The victim sustained three gunshot wounds on his thigh and was rushed to the Metro Bacolod Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.The suspect fled after the shooting.Police are still determining the motive behind the killing and working to identify the suspect, who was allegedly with another person on board a moto...