Mirasol gets formidable
backing, Yulo won’t quit
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The United Negros Alliance Saturday threw its full force behind Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol for congressman of the fifth district of Negros Occidental making him a seemingly unbeatable candidate in the June 2 special election.

But Board Member Emilio Yulo III, his lone opponent so far, yesterday said this has not deterred him from also running for the post.

“I have not changed my mind… this is not new to me,” Yulo said, pointing out that when he first ran for board member of the fifth district, it was as an independent, and in 2010, he barely had any support from the United Negros Alliance.

One of the policemen wanted for the 2003 kidnapping and murder of former Brgy. Pahanocoy captain Eleuterio Salabas and two others in Bacolod City is now facing illegal drug charges in Los Baños, Laguna

Reports said that former Senior Insp. Bonifer Gotas, 38, and his companions Nolan Marcelo, 47 and Nora Velasquez, were arrested by the police in a drug buy-bust operation in Brgy. Bambang, Los Baños City Tuesday after one of them allegedly handed a sachet of suspected shabu to police poseur-buyer in exchange for P25,000.

Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 or Republic Act 9165 were filed against them before the Los Baños Municipal Trial Court, two days after their arrest, Supt. Gilberto Cruz, Laguna Police Provincial Office Director, said.

The congressmen of Negros Occidental and other sugar producing areas are prepared to support the bill Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) is set to file in May to ensure the survival of the sugar industry, Rep. Alfredo Marañon III said Saturday.

Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) Saturday said he is filing his Sugarcane Act bill when Congress resumes sessions on May 7.

The Sugarcane Act aims to raise the value of sugarcane through the creation of integrated agro industrial economic zones that will not only produce sugar, but fuel, power, bio plastics and other by-products, to enable the industry to survive trade liberalization beyond 2015, he said.