SunStar: Reward for info on ballot box fire in Pampanga now P200,000

The reward offered for information on the fire that hit a town hall and destroyed several ballot boxes in Pampanga last June 7 has been raised from P30,000 to P200,000. Sun-Star Pampanga (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Wednesday that defeated Mabalacat town mayoralty bet Anthony Dee “expanded" the reward to include information on where the main suspect is. Dee set the reward for any information as to the whereabouts of Rommel Sibal, who allegedly ordered ballot guards to leave the Mabalacat Municipal Hall before the fire started. Sibal reportedly went into hiding since June 7 after the Mabalacat police waged a manhunt against him. At least 164 out of the 399 ballot boxes were razed in the fire that started at the Municipal Hall’s storage room last June 7. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) had filed arson charges against six individuals, including town treasurer Angelito Pelayo. But the Sun-Star report said a police investigator who spoke on condition of anonymity admitted that the BFP has a weak case against the arson suspects. “No one could tell and see that Rommel (Sibal) set the ballots on fire," the source said. In the case of Pelayo and other suspects, who are said to be municipal utility workers, only administrative cases may only be filed against them, the informant added. Without an arrest warrant, police can no longer apprehend Sibal as of the moment since the case already lapsed the hot pursuit arrest period, the policeman added. - GMANews.TV