3 men meted six years for electricity pilferage

The Regional Trial Court recently sentenced three men to six years imprisonment for electricity pilferage after they were caught tampering with an electric meter of the Visayan Electric Company in Naga town.

On its August 30 decision, RTC Branch 13 presided by Judge Meinrado Paredes found Krasker Flores, Wendell Flores and Helbert Flores guilty of violating Republic Act 7832, or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act of 1994.

VECO said that since 2002, they have been receiving several complaints against the three accused for tampering VECO meters by introducing themselves as employees of the company and asking money from VECO customers who hire their services. Acting on the complaints, lawyer Loreto Durano who is the legal counsel for VECO wrote the Mobile Patrol Group asking for police assistance to arrest the three suspects.

After a week of surveillance, the police finally chanced upon the suspects near Krasker’s house. The cops then tailed the three who were onboard their motorcycles heading for Tuyan, Naga.

Then the policemen saw Helbert standing on top of a mono bloc chair in front of a VECO pole while Krasker was holding the chair, at the same time serving as lookout. Helbert was the one who opened the meter and tampered with it using electrical tools. Wendell was the one handing the tools over to Helbert.

Upon their arrest, policemen recovered pliers, screwdrivers, assorted broken seal wires, three identification cards bearing the names of the suspects as personnel of VECO, and 10 pieces of VECO electric bills. The two motorcycles used by the suspects in going around to carry out their illegal activities were also confiscated by the police.

During the promulgation, the judge found the evidence against the three accused strong; thereby imposing a sentence of “prision mayor” or sentences of six years imprisonment each against the three.

Meanwhile, another man was also charged for the same offense after he was caught connecting some duplex wires and telephone wires of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone to the VECO line in Mambaling last October 7.

VECO filed charges against Roberto Desmante of barangay Mambaling after he was caught tampering a VECO meter last October 7. A bond of P20,000 was recommended for his temporary liberty.

Police arrested Desmante at past 7 p.m. at the South Road Properties Mambaling access road after he was seen connecting some duplex wires and telephone wires of PLDT to the VECO secondary line without previous authority or consent from VECO.

Aside from the case that VECO filed against him, the telephone company also filed a case of theft after an 80-meter PLDT wire was confiscated from his possession. —  Wenna A. Berondo/MEEV