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Secretary Jose Francisco ”Kiko” Benitez and Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (right) at the Capitol park in Bacolod City Monday morning* Ronnie Baldonado photoSecretary Jose Francisco ”Kiko” Benitez, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, said on Monday, Sept. 14, that he has not made any decision yet on whether he will run for congressman of the Third District of Negros Occidental in 2028.Benitez was responding to a question on whether he would run for Congress again should his nephew, Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), decide to run for governor of Negros Occidental.The secretary said he will consider Congress or finishing his term at TESDA and going back to private life when the time comes.“But the elections are too fa...

A 36-year-old man died after he was allegedly hacked and stabbed by his younger brother during a family altercation in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Sunday night, Sept. 13.The Moises Padilla  police identified the victim only as alias “John,” 36, and the suspect as alias “David,” 26, both residents of Sitio Palaypay, Brgy. Quintin Remo.Police said the incident happened at around 8:30 p.m.Initial investigation showed that the victim and his father had just finished supper inside their house when the victim allegedly punched and kicked his father.The suspect intervened and attempted to pacify his older brother, police said.Investigators said the victim allegedly also attacked the suspect, who then retaliated using a bolo.The victim sustained hack and stab...

Three police stations in Bacolod City have new officers-in-charge following a turnover ceremony at the Bacolod City Police Office on Monday morning, Sept. 14.The ceremony was held at around 9 a.m. at the BCPO Conference Room in Brgy. Singcang-Airport.Capt. Glenn Montaño assumed as officer-in-charge of Police Station 6, Capt. Patrick Pol Lacandula took over Police Station 8, while Capt. Lelanie Lagoting assumed leadership of Police Station 10.They replaced Maj. Peter John Ramos, Lt. Ildefonso Leonardo Jr. and Lt. Rowena Jean Magan, respectively.The BCPO said the turnover forms part of leadership transitions aimed at maintaining continuity in police operations and public safety services across the city.Lt. Col. Reynante Jomocan read the official orders during the program....

Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of the 11 former Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. haciendas in Negros Occidental welcome a move by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Central Office directing the field validation of the 4,654-hectare landholdings involving 1,756 ARBs.“It could finally clear the way for parcelization after nearly four decades of deferment, corporate control, and bureaucratic delay,” a press release from Task Force Mapalad (TFM) said on Monday, Sept. 14.The affected Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) holders said the directive is a significant positive development because the DAR Central Office (DARCO) expressly placed the field validation within the “continuation of parcelization activities” under DAR Administrative Order No. 2, Series of 2024, the p...

Two motorcycle riders, including a 14-year-old boy, died after they lost control of their motorcycles  and struck concrete posts in Ilog and E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, Sept. 13.In Ilog, a 14-year-old student was driving a Honda TMX motorcycle without a license  plate along Sitio Lapak, Brgy. 2 at around 11:10 a.m. when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle while traveling toward Kabankalan City.Police said the motorcycle slid and hit a concrete post.The teenage driver and his 14-year-old backrider were brought by the Ilog Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to the Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital.The driver was declared dead, while his backrider sustained minor injuries.The motorcycle was placed under the custody of the ...

Two men were arrested in separate theft incidents in Bacolod City over the weekend after security personnel caught the suspects and immediately sought police assistance.The first incident happened at around 6:42 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the GC&C Motor Pool in Brgy. Bata.Police said an on-duty security guard caught alias “John Franco,” 38, a welder from Manapla, allegedly stealing about 10 meters of electrical extension wire valued at P2,500.Personnel of Police Station 3 responded and took the suspect into custody for proper disposition.A second incident was reported at around 1:40 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13, in front of Negros Occidental High School along Araneta Street in Brgy. 36.A Public Order and Safety Office guard reportedly saw alias “Roger,” 36, of Brgy....

The Negros Island Region (NIR) recorded the highest average number of lost instructional days in the country due to hazards and calamities from 2024 to 2026,  data released by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) on Friday, Sept. 11, shows.Data submitted by the Department of Education Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DepEd DRRMS) as of May 5, 2026, shows NIR topping the list with a two-year average of 26 lost class days per school division.Nationwide, school divisions lost an average of 15 instructional days—equivalent to nearly a full month of classes—over the same period.Following NIR with the highest average class disruptions are:Region VII (Central Visayas) – 22.2 daysRegion I (Ilocos Region) – 22.1 daysRegion V (B...

Three men were arrested after they allegedly dug up and cut electrical wires connected to street lights in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, Sept. 12.The E.B. Magalona police  identified the suspects only as aliases “Gilbert,” 40, “Leopoldo,” 28, and “Mark,” 37,  of Brgy. Pasil.Police said the incident happened at around 1:30 p.m. in Purok Maligaya, Brgy. Damgo.A witness reportedly saw the suspects digging and cutting wires buried underground before leaving the area aboard a tricycle heading toward Victorias City.The case was reported to police by the barangay chairman at around 4 p.m.During follow-up investigation, police went to a junk shop in Brgy. XIX, Victorias City, where the owner voluntarily turned over approximately 3.5 kilograms of coppe...

Three police officers in the Negros Island Region were formally promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel during an oath-taking and donning of ranks ceremony in Bacolod City on Friday, Sept. 11.The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the ceremony was held at the  Kanlaon Hall, Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Brgy. Estefania as part of the third quarter 2026 Police Lieutenant Colonel Continuous Promotion Program.The newly promoted officers are Lt. Col. Jun Ray Batadlan, assistant chief of the Regional Personnel and Records Management Division; Lt. Col. Robelito Mariano, chief of the Provincial Plans and Programs Unit of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office; and Lt. Col. Aireen Sing Benco, assistant chief of the Regional Comptrollership Division.PR...