Linya ng kuryente, ‘di basta-basta puwedeng putulin nang walang warning

DR. PERSIDA V. RUEDA-ACOSTA / MAGTANONG KAY ATTORNEY

Dear Chief Acosta,

Maaari bang agarang isagawa ng tauhan ng electric service provider ang disconnection ng aming kuryente sa diumano’y nadiskubreng outside connection sa aming metro? — Bea

Dear Bea,

Para sa inyong kaalaman, ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa kasong Manila Electric Company vs. Spouses Sulpicio and Patricia Ramos (G.R. No. 195145, February 10, 2016, Ponente: Honorable former Associate Justice Arturo D. Brion) ay angkop sa inyong sitwasyon. Ayon sa Mataas na Hukuman:

“This Court has repeatedly stressed the significance of the presence of an authorized government representative during an inspection of electric facilities, viz.:

The presence of government agents who may authorize imme­diate disconnections go into the essence of due process. Indeed, we cannot allow respondent to act virtually as prosecutor and judge in imposing the penalty of disconnection due to alleged meter tampering. That would not sit well in a democratic country. After all, Meralco is a monopoly that derives its power from the government. Clothing it with unilateral authority to disconnect would be equivalent to giving it a license to tyrannize its hapless customers.

◘◘◘

To reiterate, R.A. 7832 has two requisites for an electric service provider to be authorized to disconnect its customer’s electric service on the basis of alleged electricity pilferage: first, an officer of the law or an authorized ERB representative must be present during the inspection of the electric facilities; and second, even if there is prima facie evidence of illegal use of electricity and the customer is caught in flagrante delicto committing the acts under Section 4(a), the customer must still be given due notice prior to the disconnection.”

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit na desisyon ng Korte Suprema, kina­kailangan ang presensiya ng awto­risadong kinatawan ng gobyerno sa inspeksiyon ng tahanan/pasilidad bago isagawa ang agarang pagputol ng koneksiyon dahil sa pagkadiskubre ng mga paglabag tulad ng pagkakaroon ng outside connection. Dagdag pa rito, iginiit ng hukuman na maaari lamang isagawa ang diskoneksiyon pagkatapos mabigyan ang consumer ng written notice o warning.

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong mga katanungan. Nais na­ming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyong ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalaysay sa inyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormasyong ibi­bigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa abogado.