Dengue cases in Western Visayas from January 1 to July 30 this year were 79 percent lower than last year, Dr. Marlyn Convocar, of the Department of Health in Region 6, said yesterday.

Convocar, who was one of the panelists at a press conference of the 5th Philippine  National Health Research System Week at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City, said 1,729 dengue cases were reported in Western Visayas from January 1 to July 30 this year compared to 8,375 in the same period last year.

There were also 21 dengue deaths reported in Western Visayas this year compared to 54 last year, a DOH report furnished by Convocar also said.

The Bacolod City police released yesterday a facial sketch of the male swindler posing as a relative of Mayor Evelio Leonardia who victimized the service crew of a restaurant and a pastry shop in the city Sunday and Monday.

Based on the facial sketch made by the National Bureau of Investigation and descriptions by the victims, the suspect, who uses the alias “Atty. Vincent Leonardia”, is about 25 to 30 years old, more or less 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weighs about 150 lbs.

City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz said the suspect also appears to be of a decent type, speaks in Tagalog, and has a dark complexion.

The lawyer of the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. said he believes the transfer of 19.1 hectares at the Reclamation Area in Bacolod City to the city government, which include the port apron, as ordered by the Philippine Reclamation Authority, will have no effect on their case now pending in court.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia had earlier said that the transfer by the Philippine Reclamation Authority to the city of 29 titles, which include the port area of 4.2 hectares, will strengthen the pending case in court involving the takeover ordinance of the city.

BREDCO counsel Renecito Novero yesterday said that is only the belief of the mayor. The properties refer to the share of the city from the land reclaimed and that represents a huge blessing to Bacolod City and its people, he said.