CEBU, Philippines - Some P500,000 worth of traffic light cable wires were stolen by unidentified robbers in two intersections along S. Osmeña Boulevard within the month, the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management reported.
CITOM operations chief Joy Tumulak said100 meters of cable wires were pilfered at S. Osmeña Blvd corner J. Luna Street last August 12 and another 300 meters were stolen at S. Osmeña Blvd corner Gen. Maxilom St. on August 20, causing the traffic lights in the area to malfunction.
"Mas grabe ang ikaduha kay gi-apil gyod ang control box. Naa pod nakuha nga device sulod sa control box unya giguba pa gyod ang sa sulod. Ang kana nga wire is dili pa gyod ordinary; mao na ang wire number 29, core signal cable wire," said Tumulak.
He said they are now taking action to have the traffic lights in the area work again, while the ones at corner J. Luna St. have been fixed and are now operational.
He said it would cost P1 million to install a traffic light, including the cable wires and the devices inside the control box, in an intersection.
According to Tumulak, cable wire pilferage is getting severe.
"Pag-check sa area, nakadawat mi og information that three to five people nagdala og hagdanan, mga martilyo ug armado pa. Sa Osmeña corner Maxilom, naa'y witness nga security guard, pero wala siya'y nahimo kay daghang tawo unya armado," he said.
He said that the same group of perpetrators stole the cable wires in both incidents at around 10 p.m.
"Nagduda mi nga kanang among mga wires naa ra na' gibaligya sa duol nga junkshops kay naa ma'y mga junkshops sa J. Briones, J. De Vera, luyo sa White Gold," Tumulak said.
He said the matter has been reported to the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, PCAC chair, said he has requested the police to keep an eye on junkshops near the area.
"We (PCAC) advised the police to monitor and check all the junkshops and find out if there are electric cable wires nga nabaligya and advise them not to purchase them because there is a law that penalizes a person who buys a stolen article, which is the Anti-Fencing Law," said Labella, who is also a lawyer.
Tumulak also called on the public to help the government by reporting to the nearest police station or barangay hall any suspicious persons along the road. — (FREEMAN)