Top Neg. Occ. Officials
gather in show of unity
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Top officials of Negros Occidental joined a thanksgiving party Saturday night at the Bacolod Pavillon Resort Hotel in Bacolod City in a show of unity, and, on the sidelines, discussed the filing of a bill for the creation of a Negros Island region.

Among the officials present at the “Love Negros” thanksgiving dinner for the reelection of Kabankalan Councilor Raul Rivera as president of the League of Councilors of the Philippines-Negros Occidental Chapter, were Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District), Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson,the provincial board members, and councilors of the province.

The vice governor, who is from the Love Negros Team, said Benitez invited Marañon (United Negros Alliance) to the affair to show the governor that we are all one in Negros.

Osmeña ok’s oil price
disparity inquiry
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Senator Sergio Osmeña III, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, yesterday said he is authorizing Senator Teofisto Guingona III to conduct an inquiry into the fuel price disparity in Negros Occidental that makes Negrenses pay higher rates than Cebu and Manila.

Guingona, who was in Bacolod City Friday, said he will push for a Senate inquiry.

Osmeña, in response, said he will authorize Guingona as the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, to conduct the inquiry that will put pressure on the oil companies to act on the matter.

Sereno, Koko back
bid for more courts
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III support the bill seeking to create more regional and municipal trial courts in Bacolod City, Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.

Sereno expressed her support for the bills in a meeting with Leonardia late last week.

Leonardia filed House Bills 2490 and 2491, both seeking amendments to Batas Pambansa 129, or the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, to increase the number of courts in his district.