Rampant cable-cutting in Cebu, Bacolod, and Bohol is wreaking havoc on Globe Telecom Inc.'s efforts to restore connectivity in Typhoon Odette - damaged areas, the company said on Thursday, March 17.
The strong tropical cyclone toppled cell sites in the Visayas, mostly in Cebu, and compromised main lines and secondary backup lines in Bacolod and Bohol.
Globe is on its final phase of restoration and expects to reach 100 percent completion before the end of March.
Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals sabotaged the restoration by stealing copper cables used for telecom services.
“Even as our engineers and technical teams work relentlessly to bring services back to normal, this illegal activity of cutting and stealing cables adds up to the service areas we need to restore,” according to Yoly Crisanto, Globe service vice-president said.
To address the problem, Globe is working closely with barangay tanods and the Philippine National Police in the Visayas for its Bantay-Kable operations.
“We are strengthening our Bantay-Kable operations in Visayas to deter theft from destroying our cables and hindering the delivery of services to our customers," Jojo Viray, Globe’s Safety and Security Lead for Visayas Security Operations said.
"Together with local authorities and barangay officials, we are going after them and making sure that they face the full force of the law,” he added.
In the first three months of the year, the Globe Security Team, in coordination with local authorities, arrested 30 individuals for stealing Globe copper cables in Cebu, Bacolod, and Bohol.
Minors caught in the operations were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
In 2021, a total of 38 persons were arrested for the same illegal activity, while 11 remain at large.
Globe has filed criminal cases against these individuals.
Meanwhile, 16 culprits, including third-party contractors of other networks and Globe field technicians, have been convicted for theft and sent to prison.
RA 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 regulates the issuance and use of access devices, prohibits fraudulent acts committed against them, and provides necessary penalties.
“This deplorable act not only adversely impacts Globe’s operations but also affects our customers who rely on connectivity to work, learn, and play," Viray pointed out.
"We are seeking support from the public to immediately report cable theft incidents.”