PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) said on Monday they have joined other industry operators in a joint call to intensify the battle against illegal and intentional cable cutting.

In a statement, the company said they have joined other cable and telecommunications providers in the country in embarking on the campaign dubbed “Oplan Kontra Putol,” which condemns illegal cable cutting as a “disservice to customers.”

Illegal cable cutting involves perpetrators who intentionally cut cables and wires, and then sell the stolen cables and wires to scrap dealers.

“This illegal act robs our customers of the steady internet and cable TV service they need for entertainment and access to information, and disrupts connectivity required for work,” the statement said.

It was signed by representatives from PLDT, Smart, Globe Telecom Inc., Metroworks ICT Construction Inc., Radius Telecoms Inc., Streamtech Systems Technologies Inc., Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association Inc. and Sky Cable Corp. Power utilities providers Manila Electric Co. and National Grid Corp. of the Philippines have also joined the coalition and expressed support for Oplan Kontra Putol.

The group has also called on law enforcement agencies to implement Republic Act 10515, or the “Anti-Cable Television and Cable Internet Tapping Act of 2013,” which criminalizes intentional cable cutting.

At present, perpetrators of cable theft are charged with ordinary theft, qualified theft or malicious mischief under the Revised Penal Code.

The group also called on barangay (villages) and local government units to encourage their constituents and communities to be vigilant, and to immediately report suspected and actual incidents of intentional cable cutting to local officials, local police and respective service providers.

In June of this year, PLDT’s Asset Protection and Security Risk Governance (APSRG) organized and launched the National Telecommunications Security Council, an informal group composed of corporate security professionals from the different telcos, which aims to facilitate the sharing of intelligence information and the coordination of activities against the common threat posed by thieves and other perpetrators.

“PLDT’s stepped-up efforts to protect its physical assets, including its network infrastructure, is part of the company’s overall thrust to further improve customer experience,” Atty. Oliver Carlos Odulio, head of PLDT-APSRG, said.

In their statement, PLDT said that year on year, they logged a 422-percent increase in apprehensions related to incidents such as theft between January to July 2021 and January to July 2022. The rate of apprehensions exceeds the 59-percent increase in loss incidents for the same period. These incidents involve network equipment, such as cables and batteries, among others.