BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) has stepped up anti-electric pilferage operations.
Accompanied by members of the Bacolod City Police Office last week, it inspected commercial establishments and residences in the city.
Malou Parroco, public relations officer of CENECO, said they were going after those illegally tapping into CENECO’s power lines.
This pilferage does not only affect the cooperative but also causes consumers to pay for the huge systems loss, said Parroco.
CENECO welcomes tip-offs from the public, she added.
The cooperative recently apprehended an erring establishment but Parroco declined to identify it.
Thursday last week, CENECO representatives conferred with barangay captains about the electric pilferage problem and sought their help.
Under Republic Act 7832 or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Lines / Materials Pilferage Act of 1994, it is unlawful for any person to either tap, tamper, damage, destroy, or steal from power lines and transmissions.
Any individual caught in such illegal activity can face fines ranging from P20,000 to P100,000 depending on the section of the law that was violated, or prison time of six to 12 years./PN
