NATIONAL Transmission Corporation (TransCo), the country’s sole transmission service provider joined the Philippine National Police and telephone companies in the Anti-Cable Theft Conference last July 11, 2007 at the PLDT Building, San Fernando City.

The growing number of telephone cable thefts prompted La Union Police Provincial Office (LUPPO), and telecommunication giants PLDT and Digitel to convene other business entities and local government units to organize the Joint Anti-Cable Theft Task Force (JATTF). The task force, aside from PNP’s ongoing Oplan Live Wire, is expected to address the persistent incidence of theft with the help of concerned parties and legislators.

TransCo - North Luzon and law enforcement agencies have already apprehended 31 transmission line/material pilferage suspects and filed 15 criminal cases from August 2003 to September 2005.

Representatives from TransCo, PLDT, Digitel, La Union Electric Company (LUECO), Northern Telephone Company (NOTELCO), had introduced measures during the conference to protect the cables and transmission line/materials to reduce the incidence of cable theft as well as to promote safety.

Having heard the appeal of the telephone and electric companies who lose millions annually due to theft, City Councilor Francis “Kit” Ortega considered passing either a law that will prohibit the buying of cable wires, transmission line materials by junkshop owners, or an ordinance in conjunction with national laws such as the R.A. 7832 or the Anti-Pilferage Act of 1994.

Seeking to make the work of the task force more binding, PLDT initiated a memorandum of agreement among the concerned parties with the PNP as the lead implementing agency. TransCo, PLDT, Digitel, LUECO, NOTELCO, Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) officers, provincial prosecutor and junkshop owners will form the Support Group.