PLDT embarks on campaign against rampant cable theft

Telecommunication giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) is pursuing an active campaign to minimize cable theft in Cebu, to protect service disruption to subscribers.

"Cable thefts have caused our subscribers unnecessary inconvenience in the past due to service interruptions. We intend to catch all of these cable thieves and bring them to justice. With our partnership with law enforcement agencies and community organizations throughout the country, we are confident that we will be successful," said Mon Fernandez, PLDT adviser for administration and materials management group.

He said the company is doubling its support to minimize cable theft especially in Cebu, as subscribers are affected by this development.

Many phone cable thieves have been caught and prosecuted in court throughout the years by PLDT. By implementing a system for the speedy response to cable troubles caused by theft, PLDT hopes to minimize, if not stop altogether, these cable thefts.

A telephone cable thief has been sentenced to two years in jail recently after he was caught trying to steal PLDT's aerial cable in Cebu City early this year.

Ronnie Pales, a resident at the pier area in Mabolo, Cebu City, was handed out the sentence by Judge Generosa Labra of Regional Trial Court Branch 23, Cebu City, after a hearing where the suspect entered a "plea bargain" to the charges filed against him by PLDT.

At around 4 a.m. on February 23 this year, two suspects cut PLDT's 400-pair aerial cable along McArthur Boulevard near the GW&A Building and Shoe Mart of the Mabolo Reclamation Area in an attempt to steal a portion of the cable.

When PLDT's Cable Patrol crew inspected the site of the cable trouble, they saw Pales and another suspect near the cut cable. They chased the suspects but were only able to catch Pales. Pales has since refused to name his accomplice.

Last month, PLDT's rival Innove Communication also launched an aggressive campaign against cable theft in some parts of Cebu province.

Innove executives said that the cable theft has not only incurred huge losses for its operational cost, but it also affected its services to its subscribers.

PLDT and Innove are the two major telecommunication providers in Cebu.

PLDT is the leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines. Through its three principal business groups - fixed line, wireless and information communications technology - PLDT offers a wide range of telecommunications services across the Philippines' most extensive fiber optic backbone and fixed line, cellular and satellite network.

PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE:TEL) and its American depositary shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PHI) and the Pacific Exchange. PLDT has one of the largest market capitalization among Philippine listed companies.