By Francis Allan L. Angelo
Three barangay officials in Iloilo City face charges for allegedly violating the Anti-Electricity Pilferage Act.
First to be apprehended by a team from distribution utility MORE Power was barangay kagawad (council member) Alex Moleño of Brgy. Yulo-Arroyo, City Proper on February 10, 2021.
According to a report from MORE Power, a wire connected to the secondary distribution line was used to supply electricity to residents living behind the compound owned by Moleño.
Based on the report, Moleño allegedly collected PHP1,000 from each household who tapped to the illegal or jumper connection.
On February 18, MORE Power discovered that the house of Punong Barangay Sergio “Boy Punga” Espinosa of Dela Rama, City Proper has no electric meter. They also found out that Espinosa was tapping to a power line that was attached to a nearby warehouse.
Espinosa was not home when the apprehension team arrived. They later dismantled the alleged illegal connection.
The following day, the team also discovered another alleged jumper connection at the house of Barangay Kagawad Jeffrey Tan of Yulo-Drive in Arevalo district.
The apprehension team said the illegal connection was very inventive as the cable was hidden inside a plastic water pipe which was then buried under a concrete road hump to prevent detection.
The alleged jumper connection also supplied power to Tan’s brother-in-law and neighbor Karl Arthur Nietes.
The apprehension team also dismantled the underground jumper lines and will be used as evidence against them.
The apprehended officials have yet to issue their statements.
