Comelec chief’s bag, cash stolen

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia was robbed of cash and personal items by a “salisi gang” while dining in a restaurant along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City on Tuesday.

According to the police report, Garcia was eating in the restaurant when his aide confronted a “suspicious” man wearing a hat and face mask who was mingling with them.

Unbeknown to both of them, accomplices had already surrounded the area and quickly fled when the aide discovered that Garcia’s bag was missing.

Pasay police chief Col. Joselito de Sesto told The STAR that authorities have identified four of the seven members of the group, who are residents of Bacoor City in Cavite.

One of the seven suspects, a woman, was arrested in a hot pursuit operation in Las Piñas, according to the Southern Police District.

Garcia confirmed the theft incident in a message to The STAR yesterday morning and warned the public that “criminals pick no person, place or time, so everyone must be on alert.”

The bag contained P200,000 in cash, an iPhone, IDs, ATM cards, sunglasses and assorted keys.

Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano directed police to conduct a thorough investigation into what she described as an “unfortunate incident” involving Garcia.