Solon seeking assistance
for Bacolod NAIA victims
KIN DEMAND JUSTICE
BY CARLA GOMEZ & CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia yesterday condemned the assassination of a mayor at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Friday that resulted in the death of a baby boy from Bacolod City, and the injury of three of his relatives who were innocent bystanders.

Leonardia is also seeking assistance for the Bacolod victims from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The Bacoleños were hit by bullets from assassins who killed Zamboanga del Sur Mayor Ukol Talumpa, his wife and nephew, as they were waiting for their vehicle at NAIA Terminal 3.

Fire hits firecracker stalls,
Leaves one dead, 1 hurt
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Three firecrackers stalls in front of the public plaza of Escalante City, Negros Occidental, were razed by fire after midnight Saturday that left one person dead, and his companion seriously injured, police said.

Supt Leo Batiles, Escalante police chief, yesterday said they are still investigating if the fire that claimed the life of a certain Jomer Sipalo, and injured his companion, was intentionally done or just a plain accident.

Batiles said Sipalo and his companion, identified only through his last name as Gayotas, were sleeping at the firecracker' stall , when the incident took place.

‘Forever Emmanuel'
* MSGR. VICENTE NAVARRA
Bishop of Bacolod

With stunning realism the great prophet Isaiah prophesies: “The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned” (Is. 9:2).

These words speak to us with timely resonance especially as we face up to the aftermath of two major disasters that devastated an overwhelming portion of the population in our beloved Visayas.

Darkened by so much suffering, we seek for light even more so these present times. Truly, while advent begins in a consciousness of the gloomy state of affairs, that we are “a people who walk in darkness”, yet this same spirit of advent hope makes us yearn for light, empowering us to reach out in charity, thereby becoming instruments of God's light ourselves.