Drive vs 'hot' celfones up; 'Be warned,' Estante tells sellers, takers
ESTANTE
A concerted drive against the buying and selling of "hot" cellular phones are up as city cops and officials of the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) pool their efforts in joint operations.
Target of the simultaneous 'surprise' raids were repair shops and mobile phone stalls in various city malls particularly along Valeria and Delgado streets, Iloilo City proper.
The move came amidst concerns raised on the resurgence of cellular phone snatching with city police offices flooded with almost daily reports and complaints from victims who were mostly students.
City Councilor Ely Estante, chairman of the Committee on Communication and Public Information welcomed the government's drive while issuing a stern message to both sellers and takers of the 'hot' mobile phones.
"Be warned," he began in a press statement sent to The News Today (TNT). "This is precisely what my office pushed and campaigned for. And we are bent on prosecuting and penalizing these street thugs who not only traumatize their young victims but the others as well who are out to earn profit from stolen units."
Estante authored Ordinance No. 2005-144, an ordinance regulating the repair, service, maintenance and sale of second hand mobile phone units in Iloilo City. Said ordinance was approved in June last year.
The raids saw the presence of no less then the city's top cop, Senior Supt. Norlito Bautista, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) Director and NTC Regional Director Eleuterio Navarro.
"Let this serve as a clear warning to those involved in the illegal trade of stolen cellular phones," Estante added. "And my commendation to our government agents and the NTC for a timely response to this gnawing concern of the city."