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The eight PACE officials who tested negative for the use of drugs.*Thirty-nine employees of the Silay City government tested positive for illegal drugs, while eight officials of the Negros Occidental Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) who voluntarily underwent tests were negative.Two regular employees and 37 casual workers of the Silay City government tested positive during surprise mandatory drug tests, Lt. Col. Mark Darroca, Silay City police chief, said Wednesday, August 9.He said 1,010 city government employees had undergone surprise mandatory drug tests as of Tuesday, August 8.Meanwhile, eight of 11 members of the PACE board of directors who underwent drug tests Wednesday tested negative.PACE president Ruben Diamante said they underwent voluntary drug...

Greg Davis – Landers chief executive officer and president, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Matteo Guidicelli, Sarah Geronimo, Kevin L. Tan - Alliance Global Group chief executive officer, and Lowell L. Yu - Landers chairman (l-r) at the opening of the store in Bacolod City, Wednesday.*The 11th and biggest Landers Superstore in the county located at The Upper East in Bacolod City is officially opening to the public on Thursday, August 10.Celebrity couple Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli along with Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Greg Davis – Landers chief executive officer and president, Kevin L. Tan - Alliance Global Group Inc. chief executive officer and Lowell L. Yu - Landers chairman cut the ribbon at the opening rites on Wednesday.Also at the opening ri...

A policeman was killed and two others were injured while on the way to serve warrants of arrest to New People’s Army rebels at Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava in Negros Occidental Wednesday morning, August 9, a police report said.Killed in a firefight with the NPA was PCpl. Jaime Nunez and injured were PCapt. Jesus Alba, Calatrava deputy police chief, and PCpl. Dennis Nasis of the Calatrava police station.Alba sustained minor injuries and was brought to the Sagay District Hospital, while Nasis who sustained an injury in the stomach was confined at a Bacolod hospital, PLt. Col. Joem Malong, deputy for operations of the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office, said.The joint Army and police forces were on their way to serve warrants of arrest to rebels identified as Darry Dayawan, ...

The Negros Occidental provincial government will start to roll out hog cholera vaccines in the 6th District on August 17, Acting Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana said Wednesday, Aug. 9.The provincial government is expecting the delivery of the first batch of hog cholera vaccines that will be distributed in the 6th District 6, composed of the cities of Kabankalan and Sipalay, and towns of Ilog, Candoni, Cauayan, and Hinobaan.Lamana said that 2,500 doses will be delivered on Aug. 17, in time with the livestock distribution led by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in the 6th District.She said that the province has ordered 70,400 doses of hog cholera vaccines.Lamana said that over the weekend, the para-veterinarians in the province reported zero hog deaths from various diseases, w...

The Provincial Veterinary Office reported that the average pork prices in Negros Occidental increased by P1.94 per kilo this week compared to last week.Prices of pork are also expected to increase further in the fourth quarter of this year, Dr. Placeda Lemana, OIC provincial veterinarian, said Wednesday, August 9.PVO records this week showed that the average prevailing market price of pork is at P247.94/kilo as of August 7, which is P1.94 higher than the July 31 record of P246/kilo.Average beef prices also indicated a P3.20 increase from P346.34 to P349.54 per kilo while dressed broiler chicken also increased by P2.60, from P201.51 to P204.11/kilo.Meanwhile, average prices of carabao beef decreased by P7.16/per kilo, from P325.40 to P318.24, and chevon or goat meat slightly...

The drugs seized at Lumina Subdivision in Brgy. Vista Alegre.*BCPO photoSeven persons were arrested in buy-bust operations in three Negros Occidental cities and P231,336 in suspected shabu was seized on Tuesday, August 8, the police reported.In Bacolod City, Jeralyn Asumbra, 28, was arrested with 22 grams of suspected shabu valued at P149,600 in a buy-bust operation in Lumina Subdivision in Brgy. Vista Alegre, the police said.Three drug suspects were also arrested in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City.Felmar Pilapil, 42, Jeomar Perdenia, 23, and Jemar Gervacio, 21, were arrested and seized from them were 10 grams of shabu valued at P68,000, the police said.Three more were also arrested in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Rizal, San Carlos City.Arrested were Lanny Delarna...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson delivering his state of the province address with Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer seated behind him.*Richard Malihan photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson reported increased local revenue from provincial government economic enterprises and tourism, agriculture gains, improved medical facilities, and more infrastructure in Negros Occidental in the past year.These show that notwithstanding the drawbacks and manifold challenges caused by the previous years, the state of the province is good, he said.The governor delivered an about one and a half hours state of the province address before members of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer and provincial government department heads at the Social Hall of the Capitol in Bacolod City...

Six fishermen were apprehended at sea for alleged illegal fishing in the cities of Bago and Sagay, Negros Occidental, on Monday, August 7, the police reported.Five fishermen were apprehended in the coastal area of Bago City for allegedly fishing without a license.Jose Romel Valencia, Gilbert Dela Cruz, Louie Valencia, April Flores, and Jerbel Rasonable were arrested on board their fishing boat by the police and Bantay Dagat Task Force.Recovered were P115,000 worth of fishing materials, the police said.Meanwhile, Ayan Ywayan, 45, of Purok Ipil-Ipil, Sagay City was also arrested at the protected Sagay Marine Reserve.Ywayan was allegedly caught engaging in illegal fishing using a compressor, the police said.Recovered from Ywayan was a motorized banca, compressor, impro...

A hacker's post on the MassKara Festival Facebook page.*The Facebook page of the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City has been hacked.Sexually explicit scenes from what appears to be Japanese movies were posted on its wall on Monday and Tuesday, August 7 and 8, prompting the Bacolod Public Information Office to issue a statement that it had been hacked.“The Masskara Festival page has been hacked and the MassKara Festival FB page team is working to resolve the issue asap with Meta,” it said.“The public is advised to temporarily refrain from engaging with the page or performing its Messenger account,” it added.The MassKara Festival Facebook page has 90,000 followers.*

Ten suspects were arrested in buy-bust operations in four cities and a town in Negros Occidental and P200,600 worth of suspected shabu was seized on Monday, August 7, the police reported.Danilo, Florinda, and Dexter Ynayan were arrested in Brgy. 19-A, Victorias City, with three grams of shabu valued at P20,400, the police said.The police also recovered drug paraphernalia, phones, and paper bills from them.William Keynel and John Senon Morante were arrested with 10 grams of suspected shabu worth P68,000 in Brgy. Vito, Sagay City, the police said.A 9mm. revolver with four live ammunition was also recovered from them, the police added.Richard Steven Millan, 31, and Andrelou Fueconcillo, 35, were also arrested with nine grams of suspected shabu worth P61,200 in Brgy. 5, Sil...