Iloilo City – Three linemen were arrested for allegedly selling stolen electrical cables to a junk shop, facing multiple charges for theft and violations. The suspects, identified as Leo Dela Cruz, Mark Xyrone Cabansay, and Joseph Mobe, were employees of FVE Electrical Services and Supply Corporation, a contractor of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power).
On the morning of January 25, the suspects loaded three rolls of electrical cables from their barracks in Barangay Buntatala, Jaro district, into their service truck. They then transported the stolen cables to a junk shop in Barangay Cagamutan Norte, Leganes, Iloilo, to sell them.
MORE Power security personnel apprehended the suspects and turned them over to local authorities for booking. Afterward, they were transferred to the Jaro Police Station for further investigation.
The stolen cables, valued at approximately P50,000, were recovered by authorities. MORE Power filed a complaint for qualified theft against the suspects, and the police temporarily detained them for an inquest case.
Under the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act 10951, the penalty for qualified theft can range from six months to twelve years, depending on the stolen property’s value and any aggravating factors. MORE Power also plans to file additional complaints against the suspects for violating the Anti-Fencing Law and potentially breaching the Anti-Pilferage Law.
MORE Power issued a strong warning to its contractors and linemen that stealing materials intended for the rehabilitation of electrical facilities will not be tolerated.