Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Lobregat warns violators of anti-fencing law By Ulysses Israel
THE City Government of Zamboanga has warned junk shops against the purchase of stolen copper wires and power meters owned by the power transmission firm for they will be prosecuted for violating the Anti-Fencing Law.
Newly formed Anti-Fencing Task Force has recently confiscated at least P50,000 worth of stolen copper wires and water meters in several junk shops, Mayor Celso Lobregat said Monday.
Lobregat issued the Executive Order last August 5, creating the task force chaired by Engineer Marino De Guzman to conduct inspections of different junk shops, and to confiscate the said stolen items.
Lobregat said he passed another Executive Order, prohibiting junk shops and other establishments from buying stolen electric wires and water meters in violation of P.D. 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law.
The mayor said he already met junks shop owners, barangay officials, police, Task Force Zamboanga, Zamboanga City Water District, Zamboanga Electric Company and other officials regarding the loss of more than 202 kilos of copper wires in many of the street lights and 70 kilos of water meters in many barangays.
These stolen items found their way in many of the junk shops in the city, Lobregat said.
The city executive said there are 10 areas where streetlights are not functioning due to missing copper wires.
Lobregat said all the junk shop owners, who purchased the stolen items were already warned, but in the next offense, the local government would press charges for violating the anti-fencing law.
He also asked the junk shop owners to report to the task force any person selling stolen items, so that proper actions can be taken against them.
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