Free police hotline cellphone calls asked

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) will invite representatives of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and private telecommunications companies to a meeting to discuss the mechanics of how cellphone subscribers can call for police assistance free of charge during emergency situations.

PCAC Presiding Officer Eugene Elizalde said they will send invitations to NTC-7 Regional Director Jess Laureno and to Globe Telecom, Sun Cellular, Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) as well as the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to attend the PCAC meeting on Tuesday next week.

Elizalde said the representatives of the different telecommunications companies already approved in principle the request of the police and Cebu City Government to allow cellphone subscribers to call for police assistance for free.

“We will discuss how the subscribers can call the police through 117 using their cellphones because now, cellphones could not be used to call the police hotline,” Elizalde explained.

It will also be discussed if a subscriber can still call the Cebu City Police hotline even if he or she is already outside Cebu City.— (FREEMAN)