INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Sports Commission has tightened security at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in the wake of reports of a burglary attempt in the dormitory of the national athletics team during the holiday break.

The incident was reported by national athletics pool members Benigno Marayag and Pjundi Viñas at 2 p.m. Friday.

The two athletes told PSC security that the padlock of the dorm under the swimming pool grandstand had been forcibly opened. No item was stolen, however.

“They found some of their belongings scattered on the floor and their lockers open,” said Carlos Kyle Loyola, officer-in-charge of Excelgard, the security agency manning the Rizal Memorial grounds.

Loyola said that it was possible that one of those who reside in the dorm may have been responsible for the incident to confuse security and avoid getting sanctioned for violating a standing memorandum order to evacuate the facility during the holiday break.

Loyola said there was also a reported break-in at the sepak takraw athletes’ dorm last month at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

PSC chair William “Butch” Ramirez vowed to investigate the incident.

“Right now, we are holding the security office accountable for the incident,” Ramirez said.