Burglars break into public school

MANILA, Philippines - The principal of a public elementary school in Navotas City lost P20,000 when burglars broke into his office Wednesday.

San Rafael Elementary School principal Edmundo Guiwan, 53, told police that janitor Roderick Ballad, 37, discovered the break-in at around 8 a.m. when he reported for work.

According to Ballad, the burglars destroyed the padlocks of the steel gate leading to the principal’s office and forced the office’s door open.

Guiwan and Ballad sought the assistance of the Northern Police District (NPD) crime lab in taking latent prints of the burglars from the crime scene.

Chief Inspector Benigno Asilar, of the NPD-Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), with Police Officer 3 Edgar Caisip of the Navotas City police station investigation unit, lifted several fingerprints from the principal’s cabinet and office door.

The Navotas City police and the NPD-SOCO were still conducting their follow-up investigations yesterday. – Pete Laude