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Senator Grace Poe presides over a Committee on Public Services hearing on the  Negros Electric Power Corporation franchise bid on Tuesday afternoon,  March 5*The Senate Committee on Public Services held a hearing on the bill that seeks to grant the Negros Electric Power Corporation (NEPC) a franchise on Tuesday, March 5.Senator Grace Poe, Committee on Public Services chair, said in her opening statement that the agenda of the hearing was to focus on providing “accessible, affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity for all, especially in the middle of widespread and frequent brownouts and power interruptions in different parts of the country that make our countrymen suffer”.House Bill No. 9805 that seeks the NEPC franchise is a measure borne out...

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) assured rice farmers served by the Bago River Irrigation System (BRIS) in Negros Occidental of maximum availability of water supply amid the drought due to El Niño experienced by the province.Engr. Isaias Melendez, division manager of NIA-Negros Occidental Irrigation Management Office (NOIMO), said on Tuesday, March 5, that they regularly monitor the water level in the Bago River Dam and in the main canals to determine how many hectares can be irrigated by the current level.“The NIA, for the main conveyance structures, will see to it that maximized availability of water from the dam can be supplied and utilized fully, efficiently, and effectively by our farmers for irrigation,” Melendez said in an interview over Bago City’s Radyo Bago....

The bag containing the body parts that was found in front of the NBI Bacolod office.*The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified the person whose frozen body parts were left in front of NBI Bacolod office last week.The body parts belong to a male drug personality from Bacolod City, NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said on Tuesday, March 5. He, however, withheld the name of the person.Baldovino said a Technical Division team from the NBI headquarters in Manila is arriving in Bacolod to examine the body parts and verify their findings.An informant provided them with the initial information that led to the identity of the person, Baldovino said.Baldovino denied that there is a rift between two NBI Bacolod agents that could be related to body parts case....

Drought hit rice land in Kabankalan City*The extent of the drought damage to rice crops in Kabankalan City does not meet the criteria for the declaration of a state of calamity yet, Ricky Muscosa, City Agriculture Office head, said Tuesday, February 5.His office is still continuing to gather data on the El Niño damage to crops in Kabankalan, he said.The drought has so far damaged P41.7 million in rice crops in 17 of 32 barangays in Kabankalan, Muscosa said.The drought damage has hit 975 hectares affecting 1,200, farmers, he said.The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council states that least 30 percent of the means of livelihood in the agricultural, business or industrial sectors of a local government unit must be affected for a state of calamity to be declare...

An employee of the Talisay City government in Negros Occidental was shot to death by an unidentified lone gunman at his residence on Tuesday, March 5.Killed was Mike Lumawag, 45, an employee at the Land Tax Division of the City Treasurer’s Office, who was shot multiple times at the gate of his house in Carmella Valley, Brgy. Zone 12-A, Talisay City.The victim had just arrived at his house after he brought his child to school, the police said.Four gunshots were heard by witnesses who saw a man wearing a helmet get off his motorcycle to shoot the victim, the police said.Talisay City Mayor Neil Lizares said it was a sad day for the city hall employees.He said he was surprised to learn “that one of our hardworking city hall employees was a victim of a shooting incident just...

A man was arrested for alleged lasciviousness conduct in Brgy. North Poblacion, Valencia, Negros Oriental on Friday, March 1.Arrested was a certain “Ronald”, 52, of Brgy. Pulangbato, Valencia, the police said.He was apprehended by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Shiela Lynn Martinez Catacutan-of Regional Trial Court Branch 31 in Dumaguete City.Bail recommended was P200,000.The suspect is now under the custody of the Valencia police.*

The Philippine Army brigades, Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police officials signed a joint recommendation to declare Negros Occidental under a Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status during a Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Meeting, on Friday, March 1.The meeting was attended by officials of the 302nd and 303rd Infantry Brigades together with line battalions in the province, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and the Philippine Coast Guard at Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City.The meeting was highlighted by the signing of the declaration and updates of the peace and security situation in the province.Col. Victor Llapitan, 303IB Deputy Brigade Commander, said this is an important milestone for the Army to attain peace in the...

Ronilo Santillan Jr. was arrested in a buy bust operation in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, Negros Occidental.*The police seized close to P1million in suspected shabu and arrested four suspects, including two minors, in buy-bust operations in two Negros Occidental cities on Monday and Tuesday, March 4 and 5.A high-value drug target was arrested and 112 grams of suspected shabu worth P761,600 was seized in a buy bust operation in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, the police reported.Arrested was Ronilo Santillan Jr., 35, of Hacienda Colisap in Brgy. E. Lopez, the police said.Silay City Police Chief, LtCol. Mark Darroca, said that they have been monitoring the suspect who was reported by a concerned citizen.The suspect had injuries on his face after ...

The damaged Isuzu Hilander windshield.*BCPO photoThe police is recommending the revocation of the driver’s license of a businessman involved in a “road rage” incident in Bacolod City.PCapt. Francis Depasucat, Police Station 4 chief, said he is recommending to the Land Transportation Office the revocation of the driver’s license of Fidel Cachumbo Flores, 47, who was involved in a “road rage” incident at Burgos Extension in Barangay Estefania on Saturday, March 2.The police can make a recommendation and it will be up to the LTO to decide if it will grant it, he said.The Bacolod City prosecutor on Monday approved the filing in court of slight physical injuries, other mischief and grave threat charges against Flores for the incident that resulted in the injury of two and damage...

Sagay City officials lead the kick off of the 28th Sinigayan Football Invitation*The winners of the 28th Sinigayan Football Invitation, one of the biggest football events in Negros Occidental, were announced by the Sagay City government in a press release on Tuesday, March 5.About 80 football teams from Negros Island participated in the event held in Sagay City, Saturday and Sunday, March 2 to 3.Here are the winners per category:• Under 8- Born 2016: Don Juan United• Under 12- Born 2012: USLS• Under 14- Born 2010: Old Sagay• Girls 2009: Buglas Filipinas• Girls 2006: 6100• 40 up: Real Negrense• U16: One Negros• Men's Open: Sagay City A• Women's Open: Cadiz Rushkals• U10: Ilonggo United• 2011 Category: GPV• 2006 Category: STI-WNUThe paricpants in the 28th Sinigayan Football I...