Monthly Archives: May 2017

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga According to Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director, Police Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, street crimes, including robbery and theft, are down 60 percent throughout the city. In a local TV interview, he said BCPO’s “Oplan: Bakbak,” an anti-criminality program, is working. However, Wanky added, there is still room for improvement. …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Negros Island Region (DENR-NIR) Director Al Orolfo was relieved of his duties last week. Based on a document released by DENR Secretary Gina Lopez, dated April 27, Orolfo was reassigned to the Office of the Undersecretary for Field Operations and Staff Bureaus. Orolfo was replaced …

By Tara Yap The Iloilo chapter of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) passed a resolution last week demanding the names of local mayors be removed from the “narco-politicians” list, compiled by President Rodrigo Duterte. Ajuy Mayor Jett Rojas, who serves as chapter president, said, “Until now, there is no evidence against …

By Paulo Loreto Lim In a final push for confirmation by the Commission on Appointments, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Gina Lopez recently said the work conducted at her current post are striving towards doing “the right thing.” “I’m taking the opportunity to do the right thing because that opportunity may not …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) reiterated its calls to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to end job contractualization, during Labor Day protests in major cities across the country, including Bacolod City. In an e-mail sent by the group, they called Department Order 174, issued by DOLE …

By Paulo Loreto Lim The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) recently passed, on its second reading, an ordinance seeking to increase fines for those who violate the city’s jaywalking regulation. The ordinance, authored by City Councilor Caesar Distrito, increases first offense fines from P100 to P300 or one day of community service, second offense from …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga An estimated P40,000 worth of suspected shabu was confiscated, following a buy-bust operation at Purok San Roque 1, Phase 6B, Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City, late Monday evening. Police identified the two arrested suspects as 59-year-old Erlinda Delfin, and Joemark Elardo, 23, both residents of the said barangay. Anti-drugs operatives from …

By Tara Yap The Iloilo City government recently announced plans to install an intelligent transport system (ITS), which monitors motor vehicles speeds, in an effort to reduce the number of vehicular accidents in the city. “Hopefully, we can install the first phase of ITS before the year ends,” said Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog. …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga An alleged operator of an illegal numbers game was arrested by members of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Gambling Task Force (PAIGTF), following a raid at Fatima Village, Barangay Rizal, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, late Monday evening. Police identified the suspect as 58-year-old Fortunato Racho, a resident of the said barangay. …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga While speaking before the Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA), Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ceneco) General Manager Sulpicio Lagarde, Jr. said it would be more financially beneficial to the cooperative to pay more overtime pay than to hire new employees. After admitting the utility co-op is “undermanned,” a total of …