Tuesday, January 08, 2008 NTC yet to complete report on seized phones By Grace L. Plata
THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)-Southern Mindanao has yet to complete its report on the series of raids conducted in four city malls Friday afternoon that resulted in the confiscation of 838 cellphone units that do not bear the NTC sticker or logo -- a legal requirement for the sale of cellphones.
Delia Meniado of NTC-Southern Mindanao administrative division said the operational report has to wait for the results of the ongoing talks between NTC and the concerned cellphone owners because the resolution will be incorporated in the report as part of the recommendation.
The local cellphone owners' main concern is the payment of P5,000 fine for each confiscated unit.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said Monday that cellphone owners appealed for his help, hence he is willing to shoulder the expense for the fines provided NTC grants him a reduction.
Duterte also wants the issue resolved amicably through the ongoing talks.
Friday's raid was the first operation done by the NTC National Office in the city. The raiding team was composed of NTC operatives headed by NTC National Capital Region Director Delilah Deles, Task Force Davao and the Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The raiding team seized 705 cellphone units from stores in Lachmi Mall, 45 units from shops inside Gaisano Mall of Davao, 100 from those in Victoria Plaza, and 20 in DCLA complex along R. Magsaysay Avenue.
Deles said they confiscated all cellphones without the NTC sticker or logo to protect consumers from danger. Units with logo are those that have been checked using national instrumentation standards for safe use.
The memorandum circular 200204-A of NTC stated that all cellphone retailers are obliged to have permits from NTC to operate aside from the business permit taken from the city of operation. All units to be sold must bear the NTC logo or sticker and all units that do not bear the stamp are considered smuggled therefore illegal.
Deles said if the stall owners want the units back, they have to pay P5,000 per unit and if the store does not have an NTC permit, another fine of P5,000 will be collected.
The confiscated units from the four malls are now stored at the NTC Office.
