8 charged for illegally tapping VECO Power

Eight occupants of an apartment in barangay Suba are now facing criminal charges for allegedly illegally tapping electricity from the Visayan Electric Company.

Alejo Patalinghug, Charing Callego, Ruel Monterde, Noel Garsota, Amy Ferrera, Edsel Torres, Josephine Gonzales and Arnold Gonzales - all residing at the Patalinghug Apartment along M. Conception Street in barangay Suba were charged for violation of Anti-Electric Pilferage Act of 1994.

Prosecutor Ma. Leonore Norma Dela Serna filed the criminal complaint, which was approved by Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon, after the respondents did not file their counter-affidavits.

VECO, which claimed it has lost over P300,000 due to the illegal tapping, has submitted the affidavits of its employees - Gil Adlawan, Bernard Libres and Alden Montecillo - over the case. The three employees were assigned at the VECO SM Service Center

The VECO engineers conducted a random inspection in the barangay when they noticed the illegal connection at the Patalinghug Apartment last November 23. They discovered that a wire was being tapped to the secondary line of VECO leading to the apartment.

The VECO personnel also conducted a voltmeter testing, which showed that the wire was live and was used by the tenants of the apartment.

Dela Serna filed the case after giving credence to the evidence presented by the VECO engineers. - Ramil V. Ayuman