Meralco employees nabbed for stealing wires

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines  – Operatives of the Laguna-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 4A arrested six Meralco employees and a female while they were caught delivering stolen Meralco copper wires in a stakeout operation along the national highway, Barangay Dita, Sta. Rosa, last week.

Chief Inspector Marlon Santos, Laguna-CIDG-4A provincial officer, identified those arrested as Benedict Cardeño, gang leader; his common-law wife Mary Jean Sarbeda; Eddie Comia, Franco Equilos, Mark Reniel, Gerald Diaz, and Frederick Magtibay.

Santos said charges of qualified theft were filed against the suspects.

Santos, however, said Magtibay, Equilos, Reniel and Diaz were released by the city prosecutor’s office due to lack of evidence that they were in connivance with Cardeño. – Ed Amoroso