Electrician charged for illegal tapping

An electrician was criminally charged before the court for illegally tapping the electrical connection of a neighbor in barangay Day-as, Cebu City, to save on payments for his electric use.

Cebu City assistant prosecutor Daphne Degoma said Cesar Bitong violated the provisions of Republic Act 7832, when he illegally tapped the electrical connections of neighbor Dennis Gonzalve.

Despite the subpoena that was sent by the prosecutors' office, Bitong failed to answer the complaints that Gonzalve filed against him. He is currently at large. Day-as barangay captain Michael Ocleasa and some police officers who inspected Bitong's premises, confirmed that the accused illegally tapped the electrical connection of Gonzalve.

Vicente Gonzalve, caretaker of the three-story Jon Vincent Gonzalve Building along D. Jakosalem and Bonifacio Streets, was earlier complaining about the sudden surge of his electric bill from P504.83 to P4,345 for October 2004.

Gonzalve hired the services of the electrician who installed the electrical connections of the building and it was found out that the illegal connection was going to Bitong's house.

One of the building's boarders also executed an affidavit that he personally saw Bitong making a hole through the concrete wall of the building so he can make an illegal connection with Gonzalve's power line.

Even if Bitong's illegal electrical connection was not done from the power lines of Visayan Electric Company the prosecutor said he is still be liable for violating Section 2 of the Anti-Electricity Pilferage Act.

Bitong's bail has been set at P40,000. - Rene U. Borromeo