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Six convicted for power theft in Zamboanga City
Six residents in Zamboanga City have been convicted by a local court for electricity theft. The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges and were each ordered to pay a P20,000 fine.
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines —Six residents in this city have been convicted by a local court for stealing electricity. The Zamboanga City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 41 said Aldhazer Uding, Alrasid Ibnohasim, Basil Hamja, Abdurajak Pulalon, Adzhar Jumala and Sattal Ababon, all of Barangay Mariki, pleaded guilty to charges of violation of Republic Act 7832 or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act of 1994. Judge Jules Christian Marcos ordered the defendants to pay P20,000 each to the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, according to Liezel Lacastesantos, spokesperson and counsel for Zamcelco. It was the fourth theft case that Zamcelco won against power pilferers, Lacastesantos said. The case stemmed from a joint operation conducted on May 20 by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, Zamcelco officers and other members of law enforcement agencies against power thieves. Zamcelco reminded the public that power theft carries serious legal consequences including paying double the value of the estimated stolen electricity and prison terms.
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Philstar Nation