Friday, October 06, 2006 Police clarify disconnection of phone lines By Ruby P. Silubrico
POLICE have budget for their telephone lines but the money is not always released on time from national headquarters, said Police Regional Office 6 Director Geary Barias.
Barias was explaining why the phone lines of the police's five precincts were cut off by the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunication (PLDT) on Wednesday.
Although the police have not settled the bill yet, PLDT agreed to reconnect the lines on Friday.
Barias reasoned that the voucher was sent to national headquarters, and that PLDT Manila is in charge of disconnecting the lines and local management has no control over it.
"The situation has not changed so far as payment is concerned. Only that the time of the disconnecting has changed as it is being controlled by Manila. So, even if one incurs a one-day delay, they cut if off without prior notice," he said.
He said that Camp Delgado could only remind national headquarters to facilitate the availability of funds, not only for telephone bills but for water and electricity.
"The bill is not too big and we never failed. It's a matter of time when the payments come in. The notice of cash allotment depends on the Department of Budget Management. The amount is there but the releasing of amount is not always on time," Barias added.
The phone lines of the Molo Police Station and the office of City Police Director Norlito Bautista were spared.
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