For loss of election boxes: Arson charges filed vs Pampanga exec, 5 others

BY GEORGE TRILLO

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Police filed arson charges last week against the municipal treasurer and five other employees on Mabalacat town for the June 7 fire that gutted a storeroom, and destroyed 164 of 399 ballot boxes kept there.

Senior Supt. Keith Ernald, Singian, Pampanga police director, identified those charged as municipal treasurer Angelito Pelayo, maintenance department head Jesus Dungca, air-conditioning technician Rommel Sibal, and guards Germidios Goddonez, Emmanuel Paras, and Carlos Mallari.

Singian said Supt. Melchor Reyes, Mabalacat police chief and municipal fire marshal Jimmy Suba filed the case before the provincial prosecutor’s office in this capital city.

As this developed, protesting Mabalacat mayoral candidate Anthony Dee said he is willing to give a P30,000 reward to anyone who could provide information in the whereabouts of Sibal, now the subject of a police manhunt.

Singian said Sibal was the one who ordered the three guards to leave the storeroom of the municipal treasurer’s office, claiming that other guards would take their place.

Sibal allegedly gave the guards P1,000 each before they left. The three were held after the incident.

Reyes said police included Pelayo in the charge sheet because lawyer Tennie LAmbino, provincial election officer, turned over the ballot boxes to his office for safekeeping after the May 14 elections, thus he was liable for what happened.

The fire occurred at 3:30 a.m. last Thursday, hours before the ballot boxes were brought to the regional trial court in Angeles City where Dee filed his electoral protest against Mayor Marino Morales.

Police said the ballot boxes were also covered by the electoral protest filed by losing gubernatorial candidate Lilia “Baby” Pineda against the proclaimed governor-elect, Fr. Ed Panlilio.

The 235 undamaged ballot boxes were transferred to the provincial police headquarters here upon orders from Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos.

Chief Supt. Ismael Rafanan, Central Luzon police director, said a police team has been tasked to track down Sibal, who could pinpoint the one who masterminded the arson.

“Until we locate and investigate Sibal, we cannot pinpoint the principal suspect in the fire,” Rafanan told.

Earlier, Morales denied having a hand in the fire, saying he would not resort to an “evil” deed.

“Let us wait for the results of the investigations,” he said, adding that he was already proclaimed as mayor-elect.