Danny Dangcalan
Local News: 1 Yields, Six Re-Arrested in Sagay Jailbreak, 6 Still Hunted
Seven of the 13 escapees who bolted the Sagay City District Jail last Wednesday were re-captured over the weekend while six others are being hunted, police said.
Rey Villanueva, 28, who is facing drug charges, surrendered to the Sagay City Police station at 5:20 p.m. yesterday, Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, acting Negros Occidental police provincial director, reported.
Villanueva was the one who disarmed jail guard Joever Valenzuela with his .38 caliber revolver, while another inmate, Rolando Bajo Jr., 22, was pointing his own gun at Valenzuela.
De la Paz said Villanueva’s surrender was facilitated by Sagay City Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva and Councilor Donato Marañon.
Local News: FLYING VOTERS? Manhunt on vs 13 Sagay Jail Escapees
A region-wide manhunt operation in Western Visayas has been launched for the re-capture of 13 inmates who have escaped the Sagay City District Jail in Negros Occidental last Wednesday around 5:30 p.m., by assaulting the two jailguards.
Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, acting Negros Occidental police director, said he has alerted the Police Regional Office 6 of the jailbreak, which ordered a region-wide manhunt for the inmates.
The Sagay City PNP, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Sagay have dispatched teams to help in the hot-pursuit operations on the fugitives.
Events: Coke Supports Panaad Festival, Partners with TESDA for 1st Sari-Sari Store Competition
The Coca-Cola Bottlers (Phil) Inc. has supported the recently concluded 20th Panaad sa Negros Festival, which ran from April 8 to 14, as a long-standing partner of the Negros Occidental provincial government.
It also actively partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the 1st Sari-Sari Store Services Competition as one of the activities in the Panaad Festival.
"Coca-Cola is part of the community fiestas and gatherings like this, we are already part of every Filipino celebration and occasion. Being a major partner for the Panaad Festival is our way of giving back to the people of Negros Occidental. Partnerships like this is in line with our mission to refresh the world, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness, and to create value and make a difference," said Glenn Perez, Coca-Cola Philippines Regional Director for Visayas.
Local News: Gov: ‘Coscolluela was a Stronger Opponent for Gov. than Alvarez’
Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said he is confident of his victory over his opponent, Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr., in the May 2013 elections, because of the fact that he had even beaten his 2010 opponent, Rafael "Lito" Coscolluela.
"Lito was a stronger opponent (than Alvarez)," the governor said, adding that "based on his analysis of his opponent," he is likely to win his re-election bid.
Local News: AFP, PNP, Comelec Conference Set Next Week
The Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center composed of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will convene for a conference next week, Major General Jose Mabanta, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division based in Jamindan, Capiz, said in a press statement yesterday.
The conference is expected to resolve election-related issues and updates in preparation for the forthcoming May 2013 elections, Mabanta added.
He said the AFP and the PNP will remain apolitical and non-partisan in their roles in the May 2013 elections.
Local News: Gov Files Libel Raps vs. Peña
Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. filed libel charges against Pulupandan Mayor Magdaleno Peña before the Escalante City Prosecutor’s Office last April 3, a copy of his affidavit-complaint was furnished the media yesterday.
In his eight-page affidavit-complaint, Marañon, who is seeking
re-election in the May 2013 elections, accused Peña, chief campaigner of Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. of maligning him in print and broadcast media.
Alvarez, gubernatorial bet of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is challenging the re-election bid of Marañon, the standard bearer of the local group United Negros Alliance (UNA). The two officials were long-time allies and were running-mates in the 2010 elections.
Local News: 980 PCOS Machines Arrive in Negros; Ballots on Monday
A total of 980 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines have arrived in Negros Occidental during the weekend, with more to come this week to complete the 2,043 expected PCOS machines, provincial election supervisor Wil Arceño said yesterday.
On the other hand, the ballot papers will arrive either on Sunday or Monday, he added.
The PCOS machines and the ballots will be stored in an undisclosed warehouse, with security guards, for safekeeping, and will be turned over to the respective city and municipal Treasurer’s Office as custodian of the said election paraphernalia, a few days before May 13, he said.
Each machine comes with its own final testing and sealing kit, Arceño said.
The final testing and sealing simulates the Election Day scenarios of feeding ballots to the machine and checking if it is counting and transmitting the correct results to the consolidation and canvassing system, he said.
The final testing and sealing of the PCOS machines will be conducted on May 10, he said.
Local News: JV Claims LP Operating Demolition Job Against Him
Senatorial candidate and San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito-Estrada yesterday accused the administration-led Liberal Party and the Team PNoy of allegedly "operating a demolition job" against him to pull him down in the surveys.
"When I rose to the third spot in the national surveys during the Holy Week, I became very apprehensive that I would be a target of a demolition job. I was right. They trumped up false accusations against me," Ejercito-Estrada said in both his press conferences in Iloilo and Bacolod.
The young lawmaker campaigned in Iloilo last Sunday, and in Bacolod yesterday, together with some senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
Local News: Gordon Vows Support for Sugar Industry
United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) senatorial candidate Richard "Dick" Gordon promised to support the sugar industry and the development of Negros Occidental once re-elected as a senator in the May 2013 elections.
"I believe that given its resources, Negros Occidental can compete even with Singapore," Gordon said in a press conference at the Sugarland Hotel in Bacolod yesterday.
Gordon currently serves as chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross. He was elected senator in 2004, which he served until 2010. He ran for president in May 2010 but lost.
Prior to his senate post, he had served as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) under the administration of President Fidel Ramos, and as secretary of the Department of Tourism under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Local News: Albee: Black Propa vs Alvarez Started Since Day 1
Re-electionist 3rd District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez yesterday alleged that the rival camp has been operating black propaganda against Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. "since Day 1," or since he had declared he will challenge the re-election bid of Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr.
His statement is in support of the claims of Alvarez that dirty politicking has been resorted to by Marañon’s camp.
