Pena: Explosives were planted; firearms are licensed

PULUPANDAN Mayor Magdaleno Peña, in a phone interview on Thursday, denied that the military-grade TNT explosives reportedly found inside his family’s ancestral house does not belong to him, but were planted by the raiding team.

He said none of the firearms found by the police at the ancestral house on Thursday can be seized, because they are all licensed up to 2016.

Alvarez slams raid as political harassment

VICE Governor Genaro Alvarez called the raid conducted by the authorities in the ancestral house of Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña Thursday as “uncalled for political harassment.”

High powered firearms, explosives, boxes of assorted ammunitions, holsters, and bandoliers were reportedly found during the raid conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Camp Crame and the Special Action Forces 6th Battalion in Peña’s ancestral house in Pulupandan.

Yasa pushes women's concern in Moises Padilla

FORMER Moises Padilla councilor Dolly Yasa vowed to continue pushing for women’s concerns, being the lone lady aspirant for the eight-member Municipal Council of the town.

She served as Municipal Council member in Moises Padilla from 2007 to 2010 and was chairman of the Council’s women and health committees.

Poll officer asks for relief for threats

THE Comelec Officer of Toboso is asking for relief, because of threats he has been reportedly receiving as the Election Day nears, according to Provincial Comelec Supervisor lawyer Wil Arceno.

Arceno said his request is the reason why Toboso Election officer Jeremias Peromingan would be swapped with the Comelec officer of Victorias City Vinancio Linazan.

101 ballot boxes for Bacolod now at Bays Center

THE Commission on Election (Comelec) in Bacolod received 101 ballot boxes from Comelec-Manila on Thursday as replenishment to the ballot boxes used in the poll protest of DILG Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas against Vice President Jejomar Binay and a local election protest filed in 2010.

Bacolod City Election Officer lawyer Milagros Salud Villa said the additional ballot boxes were placed at Bays center under the custody of the City Treasurer's Office (CTO).

6 Visayan writers join Iyas National Writers Workshop

SIX budding writers from Central Visayas were chosen as fellows to the 13th Iyas National Writers Workshop held last April 22-26 in the University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

The writers who represented the region were the following: Manuel Avenido Jr. and Kareen Kristeen Bughaw for Cebuano short story, Michael Aaron Gomez for English short story, Erik Enriquez Tuban and Ma. Carmie Flor Ortego for Cebuano poetry, and Roberto Klemente Timonera for English poetry.

Moises Padilla to be included in election watchlist

DUE to intense political rivalry in the town, Moises Padilla is being considered to be included in the watchlist of the election hotspots in Negros Occidental.

Provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) supervisor Wil Arceno, who attended Wednesday’s Joint Security Control Center meeting at the Capitol, said they are on the process of assessing the situation of Moises Padilla after the opposing camps in the town accused each other of disrupting the campaign.

Local wage board awaits nod of mother unit on pay hike

THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board is waiting for the go signal from the national wage board to act on petitions for wage increase, said Frank Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This came as the labor sector condemned the government for ignoring the workers’ call for salary increase during the celebration of Labor Day.

Comelec deploys ballots, boxes

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start the deployment of the official ballots and ballot boxes.

Election officer Milagros Salud Villanueva said over radio dyRL that the city will receive the ballot boxes in addition to the ones placed under the custody of the City Treasurer's Office.

Cops told to arrest brains behind fake P500 bills

POLICE Regional Office-Western Visayas Director Agrimero Cruz ordered cops in Negros Occidental to hasten the arrest of the mastermind behind the proliferation of counterfeit P500 bills.

Businessmen were already alerted about the rampant proliferation of the fake bills.

Grupo Progreso unites for ‘landslide victory’

CANDIDATES of Grupo Progreso unite for a landslide victory in the May 13 election, said vice mayoralty candidate Greg Gasataya.

He denied speculation of splits in the group. “That only shows that the opponents have seen the group as formidable, considering that they were moving heaven and earth to sow propaganda against the group.”

March protest marks Labor Day

ABOUT 1,500 peasant workers are expected to join a march rally to mark the Labor Day commemoration in Bacolod City today, Wednesday.

Winnie Sancho, labor representative to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board in Western Visayas, said workers belonging to the General Alliance of Workers Assembly and Partido Manggagawa (PM) will spearhead the rally.

Public warned vs fake peso bills

NEGROS Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) officer in-charge Police Senior Superintendent Ricardo Dela Paz has issued a warning to the public regarding the proliferation of fake P500 bills and other Philippine currency.

Dela Paz, in a press conference held last Tuesday at Camp Alfredo Montelibano, presented some P150,000 worth of fake P500 bills to members of the media after a concerned citizen reported to him the presence of the said fake pieces of paper bills.

Prayer Crusade for Peace in Escalante set May 2

THE Escalante PNP has organized the conduct of a “March for Peace” and “Inter-Faith prayer crusade for Peace” on May 2, 2013 to be held at the public plaza, a police official said Tuesday.

Escalante Police officer-in-charge Supt. Jefferson Descallar said the activity is part of the PNP's goal to attain a Secure and Fair Elections (SAFE) election on May 13, 2013, considering that Escalante City is considered as an election hot spot.

Official’s widow hits City Hall for delayed benefits

THE widow of the late Bacolod Sanggunian Panlungsod Secretary Atty. Nilo Alejandrino and their children never ceased to seek justice since his death last year.

Mrs. Melba Alejandrino and daughters with their lawyer Atty. Edgardo Tuclaud held a press conference Tuesday to question the alleged deliberate delays in the release of the retirement benefits of Atty. Alejandrino.

BCC examinees lead in Teachers Board

BACOLOD City College (BCC) examinees led the passers in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in March 10, 2013.

The 16 first takers of LET in the elementary level have all passed, while in the secondary level, out of 13 first takers, 10 passed.

Group: NPAs should account for their attacks on civilians

THE Peace Advocates Negros (PAN) issued a statement that the CPP-NPA-NDF should account for their attacks on civilians and human rights violations and international humanitarian law.

Alex Ozoa, together with the 28 PAN advocates, said that the government is likewise accountable for its failure to protect civilians from violence caused by non-state armed groups like the CPP-NPA-NDF.

Relocation site to be named Progreso Village

COUNCILOR Caesar Distrito is sponsoring a resolution to name the Relocation Site 1 in Vista Alegre-Granada as the Progreso Village as per resolution.

The resolution states that Progreso Village is just appropriate to call the relocation site 1, to signify positive values of progress and development. This is a fitting word according to Councilor Distrito, for encouragement and inspiration of relocatees to strive and raise up from the bondage of poverty.

Negros leaders told: Maximize IT potential

NEGROS Occidental has great potentials in terms of Information Technology (IT), according to an industry expert who urged the provincial leadership Monday to focus on IT to attract more investors and maximize its growth.

Nora Terado, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), said in a press briefing Monday, that there are two ways to "influence growth in the provinces."

Marañon affirms Capitol’s liquidity

GOVENOR Alfredo Marañon Jr. denied on Monday that the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is heading for bankruptcy, because of huge loans acquired by his administration.

The financial status of the province is very much liquid with a total time deposit and trust funds of P1.697 Billion, he pointed out, adding that Negros, under his administration, was given the award as the Best Performing Province by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Zubiri asks support of Marañon, Alvarez

UNITED Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) senatorial bet Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri asked the support of Negros Occidental gubernatorial candidates Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. and his challenger Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez.

Zubiri came to Bacolod City and some areas in Negros Occidental on Monday to saturate his campaign sorties in the province, hoping to gain votes to ensure his victory in the May 2013 polls.

Sayson: Aquino invited us to Cebu

BACOLOD City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said that President Benigno Aquino III invited him, congressional bet Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and vice-mayoralty bet Greg Gasataya to come to Cebu to join the Liberal Party’s (LP) campaign rally there.

Sayson said that it is not true that the President was just forced to raise their hands in public to endorse the coalition candidates in Bacolod City.

City councilman resigns from party

BACOLOD City Council member Homer Bais resigned from the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) Monday as he starts today his 30-minute radio program which center on the Negros First Agenda of re-electionist Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.

The governor’s reelection bid is being challenged by Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez, who is running under NPC.

Police ready for Labor Day

POLICE Regional Office-Western Visayas (PRO-6) is on full alert in May 1 against groups who will launch atrocities against government forces and private installations on Labor Day celebration.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., PRO regional director, said they are in full alert to deter harassment of police stations and pre-empt other terrorist attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) against government forces, as well as to prevent other crime incidents.

Alvarez: Benitez endorsement a huge boost

NATIONALIST People’s Coalition gubernatorial bet Genaro Alvarez has expressed gratitude for the endorsement of his candidacy by Representative Albee Benitez, chairman of the Liberal Party in Negros Occidental.

"Benitez is an honorable and well-respected leader. I thank him for believing in my advocacy. I believe that his opinion matters in Negros, given his credentials not only in the political arena but in the business world as well," Alvarez said.

P120-M loan payment demanded from San Carlos farmers coop

THE National Government has notified a San Carlos City-based farmworkers cooperative to settle as soon as possible the interest, penalties and amortizations on the principal from the loans it incurred from the Philippine Sugar Corporation (Philsucor) in 2008.

Based on the documents furnished to Sun.Star Bacolod, Philsucor pointed out in a March 15, 2013 notice sent to Gamboa Hermanos Farmworkers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GHFMPC) that as of November 30, 2012, the cooperative has only paid P1,317,361.83 out of its P5,462,676.58 amortization on the principal of its loan, or a backlog of P4,145,314.75.

Councilor launches movement supporting Marañon

BACOLOD City graduating Councilor Homer Bais launched Sunday the “Bacolodnon for Marañon Movement” to campaign and support through media the re-election bid of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.

Bais said that although he is an incumbent official of Bacolod City, he came up with the idea to push for a movement for Marañon because he believes in the relevance of the governor’s three major projects that will benefit Bacolod City.

Police to secure vital installations for May polls

CHIEF Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Western Visayas, assured that all vital installations will be secured for the coming national and local elections.

"We cannot be complacent. We will make sure that the threat groups like the rebels and criminals will be denied the opportunity to disrupt the elections. Either private of public vital installations will be given tight security," he said.

Cordero bags La Carlota's Pasalamat Queen Crown

KREENZ Amor Cordero bagged the prestigious title Ms. Pasalamat Queen 2013 during the staging of the pageant last Saturday at the La Carlota public plaza.

Franchette Ann Laguda was named as the first runner-up, while Chinky Cantere was declared as the second runner-up.

5 Bacolod bets attend forum

FIVE candidates in this year’s elections participated Friday in a forum organized by the Rotary Club of Bacolod, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental (HRANO) and Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) at Benjamin Hall in Bacolod City.