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By JEN BAYLON Authorities seized more than P900,000 worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes in a joint anti-smuggling operation at Barangay Makiling’s Purok Malipayon in Negros Occidental’s Sagay City on Saturday morning, October 12. The suspects, identified as 25-year-old Nasif Amer and 21-year-old Sadik Amer, both businessmen and residents of Purok Gardenia in Escalante City’s Barangay Balintawak, were arrested during the operation. Police …

By JEN BAYLON More than 5,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in Western Visayas (Region 6) have registered for the 2025 midterm elections, with Negros Occidental having the highest number of registrations. Jail Senior Inspector Atty. Juniven Umadhay, spokesperson for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, revealed that out of the 5,472 newly registered …

By JEN BAYLON Members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in Negros Occidental’s 4th District are expected to be divided in their support for congressional candidates in the 2025 midterm elections. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said that NPC members — who are also part of the local alliances, Love Negros and United Negros Alliance (Unega) …

Male aspirants dominate the number of candidates for local positions in Negros Occidental in the May 2025 elections, data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed yesterday. Of the 785 candidates across the province and in highly-urbanized Bacolod City, 615 or 78.34 percent, are males, while 168 (21.4 percent) are females. At the provincial and …

A truck driver was shot to death by a security guard at a construction site at Purok Florenceville in Bacolod City’s Barangay Pahanocoy on Thursday, October 10. Police identified the victim as 43-year-old Benigno Zamora, a resident of Barangay Mailum in Negros Occidental’s Bago City, while the suspect was identified as 44-year-old Rolly Escaro, a …

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Negros Occidental will strictly monitor seaports, airports and terminals for the possible entry of illegal drugs into Bacolod City during the celebration of the 45th MassKara Festival from October 12 to 27. In a radio interview yesterday, Alvin Clemente, head of the PDEA Regional Special Enforcement Unit, said they are …

At least 1,859 joint security personnel were deployed to ensure peace and order during the 45th MassKara Festival, which will kick off with a “grand salubong” (welcome) on the night of October 11 to usher in the festivity set from October 12 to 27. Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of Police Regional Office 6 (Western …

A total of 20 candidates in various key posts in Negros Occidental are running unopposed in the May 2025 midterm elections, records of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office as of yesterday showed. Uncontested seats can ensure victory for the lone candidate with only at least one vote, according to the Comelec. In the …

The alleged snatching of the certificate of candidacy (COC) of a mayoral candidate in Himamaylan City on Tuesday, October 8, is under investigation, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental said. Ian Lee Ananoria, Comelec-Negros Occidental election supervisor, said the Himamaylan City election officer had already made a report of the incident. Vicente Genova, 55 years old, reported …

Foodies coming for the 45th MassKara Festival, set from October 12 to 27, can explore this city through a food crawl event. “It will highlight the city’s rich gastronomic culture, making it a delicious opportunity to savor local delicacies,” the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation (BYF), organizer of the MassKara Festival, said in a statement yesterday. These …