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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PNP probes into possible sabotage of major power line in Batangas

PNP probes into possible sabotage of major power line in Batangas

Published May 28, 2026 03:36 pm
photo: PNP
photo: PNP
Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered a thorough investigation into the suspected act of sabotage of a major power transmission line in Batangas.
The order stemmed from the request of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for the PNP to look into the possibility of sabotage after the latter discovered that a vital conductor of the Ilijan-Tayabas 500-kilovolt transmission line was found severed .
“We have already mobilized specialized investigation and intelligence units to find out what really happened based on the request of the NGCP,” said Nartatez.
“My instruction is to finish the investigation in the soonest possible time and conduct operations against those responsible if indeed there was an act of sabotage involved,” he added.
The Ilijan-Tayabas line tripped at approximately 6:30 a.m. on May 13 after the conductor located between Towers 129 and 130 in Barangay Haligue Silangan, Batangas City got severed.
The sudden disruption heavily crippled the power supply of the country's main islands.
The NGCP said the grid failure immediately aggravated thin generation reserves in Luzon and Visayas which led to the declaration of consecutive red and yellow alerts in both power grids.
Nartatez said criminal investigators and forensic teams have already been deployed to the site to gather physical evidence.
Nartatez confirmed that police officers are already working alongside local officials to look into the situation, adding that security is also being tightened around other vital infrastructure nationwide to prevent similar disruptions.

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