Comelec execs robbed in Pasay; P1.15-M taken

Armed men held up Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials in a daring highway robbery in the early Wednesday morning in Pasay City and carted away some P1.15 million in cash, officials said.

The money was supposed to be used by the Comelec for their seminar training for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) registration in Region Nine in Zamboanga.

Comelec Executive Director Mamasapunod Aguam said the robbery took place at 3:30 a.m., on top of the flyover on Roxas Boulevard at the corner of Buendia Avenue, Pasay City.

The victims were identified as Edith Tan, Comelec disbursing officer, and Carmencita Fortich, division chief for manpower, which is under the Personnel Department of the Comelec and Comelec driver Rey de Leon.

The victims were on board a Comelec Tamaraw FX.

The victims came from the Comelec head office in Intramuros, Manila and were on their way to the domestic airport in Pasay City.

Upon reaching the top of the dimly-lit flyover, another car, a green vehicle, with about five or six suspects on board and armed with handguns, blocked their path.

The suspects approached the victims’ vehicle and announced the holdup.

The robbers took all their bags, including the one containing P1.15 million cash, Aguam said.

The victims went to the Pasay City police headquarters to file a report. The Pasay City police referred them to the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. In Camp Crame, the victims were shown photos of known criminals but they could not identify any of the suspects.

"The case is now under investigation and we are awaiting results. We hope to know the results of the investigation soon and bring the people responsible to justice," said Aguam.

He refused to comment whether there was a possibility of an inside job. However, Comelec sources said an inside job "is a remote possibility."

It was the second time this year that the Comelec was robbed.

The first time was during the last Holy Week when ballot boxes were reportedly stolen. – Sandy Araneta and Nikko Dizon