Zamboanga City residents fined P20,000 each for electricity theft

The Regional Trial Court Branch 41 in Zamboanga City sentenced six residents of Barangay Mariki – Aldhazer Uding, Alrasid Ibnohasim, Basil Hamja, Abdurajak Pulalon, Adzhar Jumala and Sattal Ababon – to a fine of PHP 20,000 each after they pleaded guilty to violating Republic Act 7832, the Anti‑Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act of 1994.

The convictions stemmed from a joint operation on 20 May involving the National Bureau of Investigation, the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) and other law‑enforcement agencies. Under the law, offenders must also pay double the estimated value of the stolen electricity, with possible additional penalties of up to PHP 20,000. Zamcelco highlighted that this is its fourth electricity‑pilferage conviction and reiterated its offer of a PHP 5,000 reward for verified tip‑offs. Rommel Agan, Zamcelco’s chief management officer, said the utility remains committed to working with authorities to enforce the law.