Quirino town hall can’t pay power bills

CABARROGUIS, Quirino — The Quirino Electric Cooperative (Quirelco) has disconnected electricity service to the town hall due to unpaid bills since 2004.

Quirelco also cut off the service at the provincial government-assisted Quirino State College here last June 13 for the same reason.

Engineer Ernesto Macato, Quirelco officer-in-charge, said the provincial capitol has accumulated P5.9 million in unpaid electric bills, prompting them to disconnect the service last week.

The capitol allegedly failed to settle its obligations despite the notice of disconnection given last month.

The Quirino provincial hospital was, however, spared from disconnection despite its unsettled electric bills.

Capitol employees said their services have been hampered but could not do anything except wait for the return of Gov. Pedro Bacani, who is reportedly out of the country on official business. They claimed that Quirelco should have been considerate enough not to disconnect their electricity, since it has also P13 million in unpaid real property taxes due the province. — Charlie Lagasca