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Zambo electric coop files raps vs. 310 pilferers

By Salvador Santiago

November 19, 2020, 8:54 pm

<p><strong>ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS.</strong> A soldier stands guard as personnel of the new Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative cut illegal connections in Sitio Asinan, Barangay Kasanyangan in a massive disconnection campaign Wednesday (Nov. 18, 2020). Zamcelco has so far filed charges against 310 residents for violation of the anti-pilferage law. <em>(Photo courtesy of new Zamcelco)</em></p>

ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS. A soldier stands guard as personnel of the new Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative cut illegal connections in Sitio Asinan, Barangay Kasanyangan in a massive disconnection campaign Wednesday (Nov. 18, 2020). Zamcelco has so far filed charges against 310 residents for violation of the anti-pilferage law. (Photo courtesy of new Zamcelco)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Assisted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) has filed charges against 310 residents here for violation of the anti-pilferage law.

Lawyer Lorenzo Reyes, Zamcelco legal counsel, said Thursday the violations include tampering of meters, illegal tapping, and illegal connections that resulted in systems loss of the cooperative.

“Tampering of meters, illegal tapping and others is against the law, so we filed cases against them,” Reyes said.

Reyes said of the 160 cases filed before the court, 60 “are now undergoing hearing and trial.”

Another 100 are still with the City Prosecutor’s Office, while another 50 are under preliminary examination at the NBI.

He said dozens of houses were found to have illegally connected to one source of electricity during a raid Wednesday in Barangay Kasanyangan.

He said a person was arrested for illegally tapping a power mainline and distributed the electricity to several households.

Tons of electric wires and cables were cut and taken to the Zamcelco office, which will serve as evidence against the violators in court, he added.

He said the NBI had listed more than 3,000 households from different barangays that are believed to be involved in illegal tapping. (PNA)

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