22 August 2007
LEGAZPI CITY—PILFERED transmission lines in the province were being brought to establishments in Metro Manila, that manufacture steel and iron products, while some were being exported to China, reports received by police in Albay revealed.
The series of pilferages of transmission lines from October 2006 to July this year triggered power interruptions in the province, which caused government to lose around P99 million in revenue and P50-million worth of pilfered and damaged aluminum conductor steel.
Albay police director Senior Supt. Herold Ubalde said aside from reinforcing police strategy to stop pilferage, they have also drafted ordinances regulating the operations of junk shops, where pilfered items are sold.
One of the provisions in the draft ordinance, which will be submitted to local government units, was to require junk shop owners and their employees to undergo training on what items are saleable and what are strictly not.
The ordinance will also grant barangay captains power to inspect junk shops.
Ubalde said there should be a national law categorizing theft of telephone and electric wires as economic sabotage and increasing its penalty.
Pantaleon Sanfuego, head of Customer Access Network of Bayan Telecommunications Inc. in Legazpi, said his company incurred a loss of P57 million from December 2006 to May this year due to pilferage.
“It took us almost P90 million to restore pilfered lines and those damaged by the typhoons late last year,” he added.
Ubalde said while an awareness campaign has been launched on pilferage, long-term plans should also be made to give people jobs.
He said poverty still remains the main cause of pilferage in Bicol, which is one of the poorest regions in the country.
There were a total of 21 pilferage cases in Albay from October 2006 to July this year. Legazpi City had the most cases, that occurred in January, according to Ubalde.
This month, the Albay police haven’t listed any pilferage case. Ubalde said this was a good sign.
He said police have been keeping a close watch on cargo trucks that carry pilfered wires.
Police, he said, have also identified three suspected pilferage gangs and have seized 18 sacks of assorted telephone copper wires worth around P1.1 million, 711 kg of aluminum strands, 258 kg of aluminum conduction wires, and parts of power transformers in four operations from January to July.
Albay police records showed that in Tiwi town there were 9,600 meters of wires pilfered; Malinao town, 6,240 meters; and in Ligao City, 1,080 meters from October 2006 to July.
The tripping of the Naga-Tiwi line last May 30, June 10, and June 28 were caused by pilferages. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon
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