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By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Two people were killed, while another was seriously injured following a collision involving two motorcycles at the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road, yesterday morning. Police identified the fatalities as William Casquejo and Josel Jabonillo, both residents of E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, while the injured was identified as Joben Semolaba. Silay City …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC) has lauded the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for its plan to introduce free road safety training for all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers in the country. UNDOC Secretary-general Diego Malacad told Watchmen Daily Journal in a phone interview that …

By Tara Yap The economy of Western Visayas continues to grow, but at a slower pace, with the industry sector posting comparatively lower growth while the agriculture and fishery sector surged with a growth of 1.9 percent in 2016 compared to only 0.7 in 2015. Fred Sollesta, regional director of Philippine Statistics Authority-6 (PSA-6), said …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga An alleged drug pusher was arrested in a buy-bust operation at Purok Sigay, Barangay 2, Bacolod City, yesterday afternoon. Police identified the suspect as 54-year-old Emil Nicolas, a resident of the said barangay. Police Station 2 (PS2) commander, Police Chief Inspector Benedicto Villarias, said they recovered four elongated and one …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga Former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Bacolod employee Rodolfo “Boy” Gamuyao was transferred by NBI personnel, yesterday, to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City. Reports over local radio station Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod said Gamuyao was earlier arrested on April 19 at the Terra Plaza …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The local chapter of an anti-corruption and crime group in Bacolod City has called on Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to investigate an alleged health insurance fraud. In a letter dated April 6 this year sent to Ubial and Alvarez, John Chiong, national deputy commander of …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Banaga Abang Lingkod Party list Rep. Stephen Paduano expressed surprise over the inclusion of sugar-sweetened beverages in the government’s tax reform package that had already passed the ways and means committee of the House of Representatives. Paduano, a native of Bacolod City, said he also bucked the imposition of excise taxes …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Negros Island Region (DENR-NIR) and the city government of Bacolod have inked a memorandum of agreement to launch a massive ‘greening’ program for Bacolod City. The program dubbed by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia as the Bacolod City Urban Development Greening Program aims to …

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga The General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) said they are dismayed over the decision of the Commission on Appointments (CA) to reject the appointment of Gina Lopez as head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). GAWA Secretary-general Wennie Sancho, in a text message, said it is unfortunate …

By Tara Yap Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr., while saddened by the Commission on Appointments’ non-confirmation of Ms. Gina Lopez as environment secretary, said Lopez should have been more “tactical” in the fight for the environment. Defensor said Lopez should not have “picked a fight against the mining industry at the start; she should have …