Bidding was negotiated,
threatened supplier says
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The representative of Pointer Enterprise, one of the suppliers who wanted to join the bidding for the electrical materials for the maintenance of the streetlights in Bacolod City, confirmed yesterday that he was threatened at the Bacolod Government Center Monday morning before the start of the bidding process.

Jebs Gueco, in an interview over Aksyon Radyo, yesterday said it was the first time they had joined a bidding in Bacolod City and he was harassed by about five men, who introduced themselves as engineers, between 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Monday when he refused to withdraw from the bidding.

He said he arrived from Manila at about 6 a.m. Monday and waited at the fountain area of the government center until 6:30 a.m. before he entered the building two hours later and met a certain “Victor” of the Bids and Awards Committee at about 8:30 a.m., who asked him if his bid documents were in order..

One killed, 18 injured in accident
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

A woman died, and 18 others, including a driver, were injured in a collision of two vehicles in Sitio Buli, Brgy. Rizal, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, yesterday, the police reported.

Supt. Victorino Romanillos, San Carlos police chief, said that Divina Cabalida Cleveland was declared dead on arrival at the San Carlos City Hospital, while Ruel Licaros, 25, who was driving the Fuzo mini-passenger bus, sustained serious injuries.

Investigations showed that an Isuzu truck, owned by GPM Trading and Engineering Services and driven by Jose Lolito Villaester, suffered a brake malfunction while descending at the eco-tourism highway of Brgy. Rizal.

FOR 2014
Capitol expects P2.2B budget
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Negros Occidental officials are optimistic that upcoming deliberations on the 2014 provincial government budget will not face the same delays as the 2013 budget because of the current good working relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government.

Board Member Salvador Escalante, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Finance chairman, said his committee will begin deliberations as soon as the governor submits his proposed budget for 2014 on or before October 16, as required by law.

The 2013 budget of the provincial government is P2.02 billion and is expected to go up to about P2.2 billion in 2014, Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado Jr. said yesterday.