Twenty-one colleges and universities in Western Visayas, 10 of them  in Negros Occidental,  applied for tuition fee increases to be implemented in school year 2011-2012, a Commission on Higher on Education 6 report said yesterday.

The application for tuition fee increases ranged from 3 percent  to 13.64 percent, or an average of 8.3 percent, Dr. Alan Lena, CHED 6 coordinator, said.

The schools from Negros Occidental set to implement tuition fee hikes are Binalbagan Catholic College in Binalbagan town that will charge P290 per unit, or an 11 percent increase; Fellowship Baptist College in Kabankalan City – P396.58 per unit for freshmen and new students only or a 9 percent increase; John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation - Bacolod -   P548.07 per unit or 10 percent up;

The Police Regional Office-6 yesterday ordered Bacolod City Police Station 2 commander, Chief Insp. Noel Polines, removed from his post effective today after the regional police Special Operations Group conducted anti-jai alai operations in his area without  coordination from his policemen.

This was confirmed by Bacolod City Police Director, Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, who said  Polines will swap posts with Operations Branch chief, Senior Insp. Lester Leada after the  turnover today.

 De la Paz said the relief of Polines is due to  the existing one-strike policy of the Philippine National Police,  in which  a chief of police will be relieved if another police unit  conducts an illegal gambling raid,  in his  area without their participation.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday reiterated his stand against the operation of jai-alai in Bacolod City and said he will hold applications pending if there are any.

He said he and the city officials are willing to study the position of the province on the matter.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon had said that it would be better to legalize the operation of jai-alai in the province so the police could focus their attention on other crimes instead of running after those involved in illegal gambling activities.