Thieves burn social welfare office after stealing noodles

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Thieves broke into the social welfare office of Buguias town, carted away boxes of noodles stocked for relief operations and then set the office on fire before dawn the other day, police said.

The social welfare office was located on the ground floor of the two-story town hall. The 45-minute fire affected the adjacent office of the National Statistics and Population Commission.

The burglars also carted away a liquefied petroleum gas tank and a typewriter.

Over the years, Buguias, a vegetable farming town, has progressed into a major commercial hub in northern Benguet. The town hall itself is surrounded by videoke bars. — Artemio Dumlao