MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has extended the life of the Ad Hoc Committee investigating the alleged security breach in Batasang Pambansa Complex, which led to the rigging of canvassing on the presidential race for the 2004 national elections six years ago.

House Deputy Speaker and Zamboanga City Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco approved the motion of Valenzuela Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo, who made a motion asking the House leadership to allow the special committee to continue hearing the alleged break-in for five more session days.

“The motion is approved for the extension of five more working days,” Climaco said during the first day of session this year.

Climaco made the decision after 194 lawmakers, who were present on the resumption of Congress on Monday, posed no objection to the motion of Gunigundo, who received a letter of request from the Ad Hoc Committee for an extension.

“We received the letter of request for an extension of the mandated deadline by five more session days of the Ad Hoc Committee tasked to conduct an investigation, verification, and gathering of all information on the alleged break-ins at the House of Representatives Complex,” Gunigundo said.

Last year, the House leadership created the Ad Hoc Committee, which was tasked to investigate alleged security breach that led to the ballot switching at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, which allegedly helped former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo win the 2204 Presidential polls.

During the Ad Hoc committee hearings, Police Senior Superintendent Rafael Santiago admitted carrying out two different operations of ballot switching inside the Batasang Pambansa Complex in 2005.

In August, Santiago claimed that former National Security Adviser Hermogenes Edane instructed him to 48 ballot boxes on the first operation and 59 more on the second one that would make Mrs. Arroyo win in the event of a recount over 2004 presidential race.