TOP STORIES

By CESAR JOLITO III Two separate fire incidents struck Bacolod City on Saturday morning, April 25, leaving six houses damaged but no reported injuries. Four houses were totally destroyed after a fire broke out in Barangay 2’s Purok Tahong at 11:26 a.m., the Bureau of Fire Protection said. Investigators said the blaze started inside the …

By CESAR JOLITO III An active police major assigned in Bacolod City is now under preventive custody after being tagged as an alleged “protector” of a large-scale illegal cigarette manufacturing operation uncovered in Negros Occidental, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said. Speaking during a press briefing at the raided cigarette warehouse in Negros Occidental’s Bago City, …

  By CESAR JOLITO III The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has expressed condolences following the reported death of an American citizen of Filipino descent during an armed encounter in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town on Sunday, April 19, while also raising concerns over alleged overseas recruitment linked to communist insurgency …

By CESAR JOLITO III Relatives have claimed the remains of at least eight of the 19 alleged New People’s Army (NPA) members killed in the April 19 armed encounters in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town, the Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) said. Among those identified and claimed was 36-year-old Roger Fabillar Tapang, …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has strengthened its law enforcement capabilities with the acquisition of 10 electric vehicles (EVs) for the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), aiming to improve response time while reducing operational costs. Mayor Greg Gasataya said the city allocated P14 million for the new fleet as part of efforts …

By CESAR JOLITO III A human rights organization in Negros has condemned the killing of community journalist RJ Ledesma during a military operation in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town. In a statement, Human Rights Advocates in Negros (HRAN) expressed grief over Ledesma’s death and called for an independent investigation, asserting that the victim was a non-combatant …

By CESAR JOLITO III Two individuals identified by advocacy and academic groups as student activists and community journalists were among those killed in an armed encounter in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town on Sunday, April 19, that left 19 people dead. Alternative media network Altermidya and the University of the Philippines (UP) – Diliman University Student …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has created a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “Toboso” to determine the identities of those killed in the recent armed encounter at Barangay Salamanca in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town. Authorities said identification of the remaining fatalities is ongoing through forensic examinations, …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved on first reading a proposed ordinance that seeks to institutionalize energy efficiency standards for buildings, marking a significant step toward sustainable urban development in the city. The measure aims to establish the Bacolod City Energy Efficiency Code for Buildings, which sets minimum energy performance standards designed …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental provincial tourism officer Cheryl Decena has officially returned to government service following a six-month suspension without pay but has been reassigned to a different post instead of resuming her previous role. Decena reported back to the provincial capitol and was immediately issued a detail order assigning her to the …