Woman nabbed over electricity pilferage raps

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A 33-year-old woman was arrested after she was formally charged for electrify theft.

Evan Mapa Bernarte was nabbed at her home at Barangay Poblacion, Molo, Iloilo City around 8:40 a.m. of August 11.

Members of Iloilo City Police Station 4 and Iloilo City Police Office-City Intelligence Unit implemented the arrest warrant for violation of Republic Act 7832 or the Anti-Pilferage Law of 1994 docketed as Criminal Case No. 22-87790.

Judge Emerald Requina-Contreras of the Regional Trial Court Branch 23, Iloilo City issued the arrest on Aug. 9, 2022.

A P72,000 bail was recommended for her temporary liberty.

Three days ago, a 47-year-old man was arrested for the same violation.

Rady Galofin, a resident of Barangay Sooc, Arevalo, Iloilo City, was caught in the act trying to “reconnect” his power line.

Jonnifer Launio, 28, roving guard of MORE Power and Electric Corporation, placed the suspect under citizen’s arrest.

At around 3:10 p.m. of August 8, Launio claimed that he was on roving duty in Sooc village when he saw the suspect holding a knife and cutting the wire that was directly connected to the secondary line of MORE Power.

The opposite tip of the wires was attached to his house.

It allegedly did not pass through MORE Power’s electric meter.

Launio said they called in their technical team wherein they confirmed that the wire was illegally cut to attach to his house with disconnected power supply.

The suspect was detained and will also face a criminal charge for violation of RA 7832.