Break-in at Comelec office in Zamboanga City; 6 arrested

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) storage office in Zamboanga City where important documents are being stored was broken into by several people.

The storage room of the Comelec office in Don Joaquin Memorial Sports Complex was found forcibly opened by Allan Corpus, 42, a Comelec employee of Zamboaga City Thursday morning, police said Friday.

Corpus found several people, believed to be evacuees, inside the room and who were identified as Abdul Ataolla, 57, Nursida Majid, 39, Amina Haiber, 49, Nerma Dabbang, 54, Insih Ruaina Febres, 53, and Arsaima Ablayan, 27, all residents of Barangay (village) Rio Hondo.

The lock of the door was destroyed to open the room, local police found.

Zamboanga City police investigators said several important documents considered confidential were found to have been destroyed.

The persons were apprehended and brought to the local police office where their fingerprints and photos were taken.

Local Barangay (village) elections in Zamboanga City were previously suspended due to the recent attack by the rebel group Moro National Liberation Front.

Comelec previously said that they would hold special elections within November.

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