The arrest of the suspects was precipitated by complaints from telephone owners, specifically Bayantel subscribers, of incessant breakdown of their phone lines, according to Malate police station chief Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo Jr.
He immediately instructed PO3 Benedict Cruz III, accompanied by a Bayantel representative, to act on the complaints.
Along A. Mabini street in Malate, Cruz found out that a telephone cable line was cut off from the pole.
As they were further scouring the vicinity, they observed two men behind the facade of Ospital ng Maynila burning cable wires.
Burning the rubber coating of the wires exposes its copper content and later sold to junkshops, Pedrozo explained.
The suspects were identified as Jun Mantal, 38, with no permanent city address, and Joseph Grado, 41, of Baseco Compound, Tondo.
Seized from the suspects were some 20 pounds of copper wire, which according to a Bayantel representative is equivalent to some 15 meters of telephone cable wires.
Further interrogation on the suspects revealed that they were also responsible for stealing street light wires, Pedrozo said.
Theft charges were filed against the suspects. – Nestor Etolle