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Spurred by two recent deadly school shootings, Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Javier Miguel L. Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) filed the Final Firearms Amnesty and Loose Firearms Accountability Act of 2026 on Wednesday, August 19, seeking to make major loose firearm offenses non-bailable and establish “the most stringent gun accountability measures in the history of the Philippines”.The proposed legislation comes following severe gun violence targeting students across the country.On June 22, two teenagers opened fire inside San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, killing three students and wounding 20 others. Less than two months later, on August 18, a Grade 9 student armed with a pistol and a rifle killed a schoolmate and took his own life at the Ateneo de Zamboanga Univ...

Five trucks were apprehended for alleged illegal parking and obstruction during a road clearing operation in Bacolod City on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 18.The Land Transportation Office-Negros Island Region said its Regional Law Enforcement Service conducted the operation in Purok Manayawsayaw, Brgy. Mansilingan.LTO-NIR said the five trucks were found parked in violation of traffic regulations and were obstructing portions of the road.The operation was part of the agency’s continuing road clearing and traffic enforcement activities aimed at keeping roads accessible to motorists and other road users.LTO-NIR OIC Regional Director Jeck Conlu said the agency will continue conducting similar enforcement operations against vehicles causing road obstructions.*

A motorcycle rider died after his vehicle collided with a dump truck along the Silay-Patag Road in Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday morning, Aug. 18.The Silay City police said the road incident happened at around 11:02 a.m. in Malisbog 1, Brgy. E. Lopez.Police said the unidentified rider was driving a black Kawasaki Barako 175 toward E.B. Magalona, while a white Isuzu dump truck driven by alias “Randy,” 37, was traveling toward Silay City.Initial investigation showed that the motorcycle overshot a curved section  of the road and collided with the front-left portion of the dump truck.The dump truck then ran over the motorcycle, resulting in the death of the rider, police said.The victim was declared dead by the city health officer.The dump truck driver ...

The fire in Purok Tunay, Zone 1, Barangay Bata.*Thur Yap photoA fire destroyed two houses  in Purok Tunay, Zone 1, Barangay Bata, Bacolod City,  Wednesday afternoon, August 19, leaving one individual injured, the Bureau of Fire Protection reported.The affected property, owned by Nonito Losbañez, housed two families with five individuals.Raegan Losbañez, 40, sustained burns to both arms and a laceration on his neck, the BFP reported.The  BFP estimated the  damage at  ₱38,000.*

The protest in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica*Human rights activists, church groups, and local communities marked four months since a military operation left 19 dead in Toboso, Negros Occidental, by holding a lightning protest in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the public plaza on Wednesday, Aug. 19, to demand justice and an end to militarization.Led by DefendNegros and human rights alliance Manindigan Negros, the demonstrators called for accountability for  the April 19 incident involving the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Toboso that left 19 dead,  including Alyssa Alano, RJ Ledesma, Errol Wendel, Maureen Keil Santuyo, Kai Sorrem, Lyle Prijoles, Dexter Patajo, and Jolinda Gemina whom they identified as civil...

A Philippine cobra was voluntarily turned over to authorities in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, Aug. 18.The Negros Occidental Maritime Police Station said the snake, locally known as “banakon,” was surrendered by a resident of Sitio Tagda, Brgy. Nataban.Personnel stationed at Port San Carlos later transported the cobra to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources satellite office in the city.The snake was received by DENR personnel for documentation, care, custody and proper disposition.Authorities said the turnover was conducted in accordance with Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.The Philippine cobra is a native venomous snake species, and authorities reminded the public to avoid harming or attemptin...

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is investigating complaints against officials from three barangays in Negros Occidental for alleged nepotism and improper distribution of funds under the national Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Scholarship Program.DILG Assistant Regional Director and concurrent Negros Occidental Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay confirmed Tuesday, August 18, that field officers have been deployed to look into reports from  three barangays located in Bago City,  Cauayan and Moises Padilla.The complaints involve officials who allegedly awarded scholarship grants to their relatives.Under the rules of the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang Program—a nationwide initiative that provides ₱20,000 in educational assistance to each of five ...