Combined teams of the Negros Occidental police intelligence operatives and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency yesterday raided a reported safehouse of the alleged New People's Army "Regional Sparrow Unit" in Brgy. Zone 5, Pulupadan, but did not find anything to seize.

The house raided by the police, as authorized by La Carlota City Judge Francisco Rodriguez who issued the search warrant, turned out to be owned by retired Col. Elviro Lagrana, and being rented by members of CAMMPh (Crusade Against Monopoly and Massive Political Harassment).

Diego Malacad, CAMMPh spokesman, called the raid "plain and pure harassment." CAMMPh is assisting the Pulupandan residents who are the subject of eviction for allegedly squatting on property owned by landowner Magdaleno Peña and his family in the town.

Driver killed,
16 injured in San Carlos
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

A cargo truck driver died and 16 were injured, when the vehicle they were riding on fell into a canal at the Don Carlos Ledesma Highway in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

City police chief Ricardo de la Paz yesterday identified the fatality as Enilido Doctolan,48, of Escalante City, who was declared dead on arrival at the San Carlos District Hospital. The 16 injured passengers are now being treated in the same hospital. De la Paz said the Fuzo cargo truck driven by Eddie Dijet had a mechanical malfunction that caused it to fell into the canal.

Two other people also died and 13 others were injured in a similar accident in Brgy. Jonob-Jonob, Escalante on Monday.

'BREDCO takeover
option not dead'
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Bacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino said yesterday that the option of the city to take over the operation and management of the Bacolod Port is not dead.

Contrary to other declarations, it is very much alive, he said, and they have not closed the doors on the issue. But since there is a deadlock in the negotiation between the city and the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. on the upward adjustment of the annual port rental, they are seeking other venues in which to break that impasse, he said.

BREDCO is currently paying the city P800,000 in annual rental.