Gov’t. representative present dapat sa inspeksiyon ng tahanan/pasilidad bago magputol ng koneksiyon

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta - @Magtanong Kay Attorney | July 31, 2021

Dear Chief Acosta,

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

Dear Beatrice,

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

“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. (emphasis supplied)

x x x x

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 kagyat na pagputol ng koneksyon dahil sa pagkadiskubre ng mga paglabag, tulad ng pagkakaroon ng outside connection. Dagdag pa rito, iginiit ng Korte Suprema na maaari lamang isagawa ang diskoneksyon pagkatapos mabigyan ang consumer ng written notice o warning.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.