Cable wire thieves face raps Ria

CEBU, Philippines - Police have filed charges against five men who allegedly stole cable wires and against a scrap buyer before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.

This as the City Traffic Operations Management thanked the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office for immediately identifying the robbers who stole P500,000 worth of traffic light cable wires in two intersections along S. Osmeña Boulevard in separate incidents this month.

Facing robbery charges are Roel Gingoyon and four others. They are all from Barangay Carreta.

On the other hand, a case for violating the Anti-Fencing Law was filed against Flordelito Golo, 56, of Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, who bought the cable wires from the suspects.

Golo, however, claimed that he was not aware that those wires were stolen.

Chief Inspector David Señor, chief of TRS, said they failed to recover all the stolen items, including the control boxes, amounting to P2.7 million.

David said they will be waiting for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the suspects.

CITOM operations head Joy Tumulak said the filing of charges shows that they are serious in putting an end to the rampant pilferage of cable wires in the city streets.

“Gipanghingusgan gyud nato karon aron dili na mausab kay buhis man gud sa mga tawo ang gipalit ana nga butang,” he said.

CITOM earlier reported that 100 meters of cable wires were pilfered at S. Osmeña Boulevard corner J. Luna Street last August 12 and that another 300 meters wires were stolen at S. Osmeña Boulevard corner General Maxilom Street on August 20, causing the traffic lights in the area to malfunction.

Tumulak said that last Wednesday, they called the attention of junkshop owners near the North Reclamation Area to inform them that CITOM will not condone those who purchase stolen wires.

“Napasabot na nato sila and ingon pud sila nga mo-cooperate pud sila sa CITOM,” he said.

The CITOM official further urged junkshop owners in the city to keep their stuff inside the shop to avoid messing the sidewalks.

“Starting September 1, mag-random na mi og inspect sa mga junkshops sa city, especially kanang duol sa North Reclamation Area kay naka-receive man mi og reports nga ang ilang mga butang nagkatag sa sidewalks unya mangagi na nuon ang mga tawo sa dalan gyud mismo,” he said, adding that such will eventually cause accidents.

Tumulak also called on the public to help safeguard road cable wires. —/NSA (FREEMAN)