A HABAL-HABAL driver and his live-in partner were arrested after they were caught cutting cable wires along the national highway in Barangay North Poblacion, City of Naga, Cebu Monday morning, June 27, 2022.

Staff Sergeant Ariel Yap, investigating officer of Naga City Police Station, identified the driver as Ulysses Sungahid Abellana Jr., alias Michael, 36, while his partner was Myrna Llamedo Bargamento, 41, both residents of Barangay Cogon Pardo, Cebu City.

Yap told SunStar Cebu that around 4 a.m. of June 27, 2022, Ramil Manlosa, Bantay Kable officer of Globe Telecommunications, called their station and sought for police assistance when he saw Abellana and Bargamento cutting cable wires.

Naga City police personnel proceeded to the area and arrested the suspects.

The recovered pieces of evidence include about 30 meters of Innove Globe Copper wire, 200 pairs worth P25,800, two hacksaw blades, a long nose, a metal sheet cutter and a motorcycle.

Globe Telecom representative Gerardo Codiñera Davis, 55, team leader of Bantay Kable, filed a case against the suspects around 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, 2022.

Yap said that Abellana and Bargamento denied at first that they had no intention of stealing the cable wires but later on admitted their wrongdoing. They said they cut the wires because they were sagging.

"Matud pa nila nga nag-away sila gikan, unya dili daw nila intensyon ang mangawat og cable wires. Nasamokan ra sila kay misangit pag agi nila," Yap said.

Abellana and Bargamento have been detained at the Naga City custodial facility and will face charges for theft.