MANILA - Sabotage may have caused the fire that destroyed the Commission on Elections headquarters in Manila's historic Intramuros district, investigators said yesterday.

The two-storey wooden building was completely destroyed when fire swept through it early yesterday morning just two months before national elections.

District fire chief Pablo Cordeta told local radio he could not rule out sabotage.

"We don't discount the possibility," he said. He said it took 15 minutes before anyone raised the alarm and marines who were stationed in the compound were nowhere to be seen when firefighters arrived.

"All the guards assigned to the Comelec building will be summoned for questioning," he said.

"They are supposed to secure the premises very tightly at this time," he added.

No one was injured in the fire. Commission chairman Benjamin Abalos said the building contained only old records and would not affect the elections.

"Our list of voters is safe in another building nearby," Abalos told local radio.

National polls are due to be held in the Philippines on May 14 to elect the entire 250-member House of Representatives, half the 24-strong Senate and more than 17,000 public officials, including governors and mayors.

Abalos said that "not even one paper there (in the burning building) can affect the coming elections."*AFP

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