Prosecutor's office loses phone line due to unpaid bills

CEBU, Philippines - One of the two telephone lines at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office was cut off by the Globe Telecom yesterday because of unsettled bills which reportedly amounted to at least P10,000.

Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba confirmed that one of their phone lines, which the Supreme Court provided for free, was cut off yesterday morning after the Regional Court Administrator’s Office in Central Visayas did not anymore pay for their bills.

Petralba said the Department of Justice has not provided them with telephone lines because it allegedly did not have a budget.

According to her, their telephone line was provided by the Supreme Court, which has jurisdiction over the Marcelo Fernan Hall of Justice.

She explained that this bad news will mean the public will need to personally come to their office to inquire the status of cases.

Although their office is now left with one telephone line, she said it cannot take incoming calls.

Administrative Officer Cecil Gadrinab said their unpaid telephone bills have already reached more than P10,000.

Gadrinab said the cutting off of the telephone line is also in line with a Supreme Court memorandum allowing only one line for each court.

Although the provincial prosecutors are not under the Supreme Court, the High Tribunal provided them with a free telephone line considering that they are holding office at the Palace of Justice. — Fred P. Languido/LPM   (THE FREEMAN)