Police secure Comelec offices in Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines  – Police beefed up security at the offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Bulacan following an arson attempt in Obando town Monday night.

Police said two men set on fire the Comelec office in Obando, damaging election materials, in what locals fear could be part of efforts to sabotage the election in the coastal town.

Lawyer Sabino Mejarito, provincial election supervisor, though gave assurance that the incident would not affect the conduct of the automated polls in Obando on May 10.

“This is a case of arson, and we are intensifying security in all Comelec offices in the province to prevent a similar incident,” said Senior Superintendent Fernando Villanueva, acting provincial police director.

He said he is assigning at least two uniformed police officers to guard Comelec offices in the 21 towns and three component cities of Bulacan at night.

Villanueva said two motorcycle-riding men stopped by the Comelec office in Obando at around 11:15 p.m. Monday, lighted lighter fluid at the door, and fled.

Responding firemen doused the fire, but a number of documents – the voters’ list, voters’ registration reports, and sample ballots for the mock election – were damaged.

Villanueva described the incident as a minor one, but said it’s a wake-up call to secure Comelec offices in the province.

Mejarito said the damaged documents have back-up copies at the Comelec provincial and national offices.

“I can assure local voters that all damaged documents needed in the coming elections will be replaced and the election in Obando will go smoothly,” he said.                        – With Ric Sapnu