Globe Telecom said cooperation with local authorities to crack down on cable theft has led to the arrest of 13 suspects, among them contractors, in just one week.
Of the total nabbed between July 18 and 24, 6 suspects, all contractors of another telco player, were arrested for stealing Globe copper wires along Manuel L. Quezon St. in Cabancalan, Mandaue City, last July 19.
Three other suspects were arrested in Silay City, Negros Occidental, two in Bais City, Negros Oriental, one in Quezon City and another one in Mandaue within the same week, all of whom were charged with theft.
This followed the filing of cases against nine other suspects caught in cable-related incidents in Cavite and Quezon City in the first week of July.
Three of them were caught with 50 boxes of stolen Globe cables worth P129,000 in an entrapment operation in Tanza, Cavite. Another suspect was arrested for stealing Bayantel copper wires along Congressional Avenue in Quezon City.
The mobile operator said its continues to step up its battle against rampant cable theft through the #BantayKable campaign, a collaboration with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and barangay tanods to end illegal activities linked to stolen cables that disrupt telco services.
Amid the campaign, several thieves arrested in Quezon City and Cagayan de Oro City were sentenced to 1 month to 4 months in prison for their misdeed.
In the first half of the year, a total of 281 individuals and third-party contractors linked to these criminal offenses were charged with theft, qualified theft, robbery, violation of the anti-fencing law, malicious mischief and violation of the Omnibus Election Code and Republic Act 10515 or the Anti-Cable Television and Cable Internet Tapping Act of 2013.
“Globe continues to invest heavily to upgrade and modernize its network, but these criminal activities are hampering our efforts to provide better services to consumers who need connectivity for work, learning, entertainment, and communications,” said Froilan Castelo, Globe Group general counsel.
“This is why we have been working closely with the police, local government units and other stakeholders to stop this crime that affects critical ICT infrastructure, leading to service disruption that ultimately affects our customers,” Castelo said.
