Category: Negros

Gov’t preparing for 2015 zero tariff on sugar – Alcala

Negros August 5, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala yesterday said that the national government is preparing for the 2015 zero tariff on sugar while declaring that they are not ignoring the ethanol industry.

Alcala was here yesterday for the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program of the provincial government where he and Governor Alfredo Marañon distributed insurance cards to some 1,200 farmers in the province.

While the country is preparing for the zero tariff, Alcala is encouraging the farmers and sugar planters to slowly convert certain areas into organic farming, pointing out the big demand in Europe for the locally produced muscovado sugar.

Sagay massacre suspect now out of Negros Occ.?

Negros August 4, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The suspect in the lunchtime massacre of a family in Sagay City may have already sought refuge in areas outside of the province.

The suspect, Romeo Corbo who is said to be an employee of the city government of Sagay, is tagged to the killing of three persons and the wounding of another.

Sr. Supt. Allan Guisihan, police provincial director here said Sagay police operatives under C/Insp. Gabriel Gutierrez have yet to pinpoint the whereabouts of the suspect despite continuous manhunt operations.

There were reports that Corbo was seen enroute to San Carlos via the Don Salvador highway for Cebu. Other reports say he was last seen at BREDCO port bound for Iloilo or Manila.

Alleged councilor’s killer faces murder charges

Negros August 4, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa BACOLOD City – Murder charges were filed yesterday against the suspect in the broad daylight assassination of Ilog councilor Antonio Gequillana Jr. Charged was Ryan Gatoc, 24, who was picked up by police authorities at his residence in Kabankalan town late afternoon Tuesday. Supt. Santiago Rapiz, head of Task Force Gequillana, said Gatoc […]

Oil slick confirmed in Manapla shores

Negros August 4, 2011 admin 0 Comments

 

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Manolet Escalante, executive assistant of Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon, Wednesday confirmed there were traces of oil slick in the shores of Manapla town but no oil spill.

Escalante, former mayor of Manapla, told reporters that he personally made a dive with other rescuers Tuesday to where MV Asia Malaysia sunk to determine the possibility of an oil spill.

The Philippine Coast Guard has already brought their equipment to the area to possibly siphon the oil from the ship’s tank to prevent oil spill, he said, adding that the slick could have come from the ship’s engine.

He clarified the oil slick was only on the surface, thus fishermen can continue to fish in the area.

Escalante said the sunken ship is located within four kilometers of Manapla’s municipal waters. As such, the owners of Trans Asia have started coordinating with his wife, Manapla mayor Lourdes Escalante on their plans.

Capitol’s reorg to cost P1.6M

Negros August 4, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said that the reorganization of employees at the Capitol will start in September and will be finished within this year.

“We will work on it overtime” as it is already delayed, Marañon stressed.

This, after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved during their regular session Wednesday the contract between the provincial government and CPRM Consultants, Inc.

CPRM Consultants was tapped for its technical services needed in the assessment of the current administrative structure and staffing of the provincial government.

Maranon said that CPRM Consultants is a Manila-based firm referred by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

3 NPA rebs arrested, 8 surrendered

Negros August 4, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa BACOLOD City – Three suspected New People’ Army rebels were arrested while eight others surrendered after a joint Army and PNP counter-insurgency operations in southern Negros. Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd Brigade commander, said the arrested rebels were turned over to the PNP for filing of charges. He added that pursuit operations of the […]

Marañon lauds Zubiri

Negros August 4, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon lauded Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri for resigning from the Senate over electoral fraud issues. “It goes to show that he is an honorable man,” Marañon said. Zubiri is set to arrive here today as guest speaker in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Negros chapter event. […]

Ayala Land development plan lauded

Negros August 3, 2011 admin 0 Comments

 

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The proposed Capitol Civic Center, Ayala Land’s development plan for the 7.7-hectare Capitol property here, got the nod of various sectors who attended their presentation at the social hall of the Capitol building yesterday morning.

Representatives from non-government organizations, civic groups, business sector, local chief executives, provincial government officials, regional directors of government agencies and students from the ARFIEN department of La Consolascion College attended the presentation.

The presentation was made by Ayala Land Inc. Vice President, Architect Joel Luna.

Frank Carbon, president of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that “it only confirms that Ayala Land should be awarded with the lease and purchase of the capitol property because of their track record.”

“I think this is what we need now in the province of Negros Occidental and the city of Bacolod,” he added.

CA denied SM’s plea to be deputized in serving TRO(Guv: Ayala was the first to explore unsolicited offer )

Negros August 3, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon yesterday confirmed reports that the SM Prime Holdings Inc. has filed a petition asking the Court of Appeals to be deputized to serve the Temporary Restraining Order the CA issued against the provincial government over the lease and purchase of the 7.7-hectare capitol property which was awarded to Ayala Land through a negotiated bidding.

But the petition was denied, Marañon told reporters here in an interview after Ayala Land presented their development plan to various sectors at the Social Hall of the Capitol building.

Marañon said he has a copy of the said petition.

He said the CA denied the petition of SM because it might set a precedent.

This, as a staff at the governor’s office told reporters that messengers from SM furnished their office a copy of the TRO which they declined to receive officially.

Suspect in councilor’s slay is former bodyguard of mayor

Negros August 3, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Police operatives of Task Force Gequillana arrested the alleged gunman in the slay of Ilog councilor Antonio Gequillana Jr. The suspect turned out to be a bodyguard five years ago of incumbent Ilog mayor Paul Alvarez.

S/Supt, Ricardo Dela Paz, police chief here, confirmed to reporters yesterday that Task Force Gequillana under Supt. Santiago Rapiz arrested Ryan Gatoc, 24, at his residence in Kabankalan town late afternoon of Tuesday.

Dela Paz however said that “as of now there is no direct link between the suspect and Ilog mayor Alvarez as far as the case of Gequillana is concerned.”

Dela Paz said witnesses positively identified Gatoc as the lone gunman who shot Geguillana while the victim was about to open the door of his Hilux vehicle parked in front of Eastview Hotel Monday last week at about 10am.

Oil slick confirmed in Manapla shores

Negros August 3, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Manolet Escalante, executive assistant of Negros Occidental governor Alfredo Marañon, yesterday confirmed there were traces of oil slick in the shores of Manapla town but no oil spill.

Escalante, former mayor of Manapla, told reporters that he personally made a dive with other rescuers Tuesday to where MV Asia Malaysia sunk to determine the possibility of an oil spill.

The Philippine Coast Guard has already brought their equipment to the area to possibly siphon the oil from the ship’s tank to prevent oil spill, he said, adding that the slick could have come from the ship’s engine.

He clarified the oil slick was only on the surface, thus fishermen can continue to fish in the area.

Escalante said the sunken ship is located within four kilometers of Manapla’s municipal waters. As such, the owners of Trans Asia have started coordinating with his wife, Manapla mayor Lourdes Escalante on their plans.

Brains, gunman in councilor’s slay identified

Negros August 2, 2011 admin 0 Comments

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – The identities of the mastermind and the gunman who killed a municipal councilor in front of a hotel here Monday last week have been established, according to the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).

S/Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, BCPO director, said they are nearing solution of the shooting to death of Ilog town councilor Antonio Gequillana.

Gequillana who was buried Sunday, was about to board his Toyota Hilux pickup parked in front of the Eastview Hotel when the lone gunman approached and shot him in the back.

De la Paz told reporters Tuesday that the BCPO will file murder charges against the gunman this week.

Until then, identities of both the gunman and the mastermind will be withheld although the police will first release the identity of the gunman when the case is filed and will reveal the mastermind later on.