ILOILO CITY – A business clan engaged in hotel, real estate and lending are facing criminal cases for alleged electricity pilferage in Iloilo City.

Edward Tiu, Rodolfo Tiu, Eugene Tiu, Mary Tiu, Edgar Tiu, and Caroline Tiu have been indicted by the Iloilo City Prosecutors Office for violating Republic Act No. 7832 or the Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Act of 1994.

City prosecutors Ma. Nazelle Biliran-Infante, Lyna Brotarlo-Pasco, Leonel Dapat, Allan Alavanzas, and Ferdinand Thomas Magallanes all ruled to elevate to court proceedings the complaints filed against the Tius by power utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) last January 21.

Manila Bulletin obtained copies of the resolutions released this week that indicted five members of the Tiu clan.

The alleged pilferage of the Tius were initially discovered when the monthly meter lab reading and inspection was conducted at the family compound in Molo district last July 2020.

MORE Power’s inspection team found that the five electric meters of the Tius in the family compound were tampered that reduced electricity charges by as much as 50 percent for a five-month period last year.

For almost a five-month period, MORE Power incurred a financial loss of P517,257 from the alleged electricity pilferage of the Tius.

In a joint counter-affidavit, the Tius denied the accusation of electricity theft.