The Negros Occidental provincial government will evict squatters occupying the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City as soon as it regains possession of it, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said yesterday.

The squatter commercial establishments, stalls and residences at the sports complex have reached close to 200, figures from the Negros Occidental Government Assets Management Section showed yesterday.

Squatters not only occupy the Paglaum Sports Complex structures facing Hernaez and Lacson streets, they are now also inside the complex and if no action is taken, may overrun more areas,   the governor said.

Negros Occidental Provincial Heath Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang yesterday cautioned the public to be conscious of the spread of the influenza virus due to unstable weather condition.

Tumimbang said the influenza virus enters the respiratory tract from an infected person through coughing, sneezing and talking, and direct contact with surfaces, materials, and clothing contaminated with discharges of an infected person.

The most common symptoms of influenza are headache, runny nose, sore throat, cough, and other respiratory manifestations. Other symptoms are muscle and joint pains, Tumimbang said.

A total of 231 policemen in Western Visayas have been charged before the PNP Regional Legal Service for various administrative offenses, from January to November 2010, police records show.

Supt. Ranulfo Demiar, regional police spokesman, however, said 180 of them have already been punished, while the Regional Legal Service office was ordered to hasten the investigation and resolution of the complaints against the remaining 51 policemen by Jan. 31.

This is in compliance with the order of PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo, and the “zero-case backlog program” of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jessie Robredo.