Poe vows to scrutinize gov’t choice on 3rd telco player

Sen. Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE / LYN RILLON

Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday vowed to “delve into the details” of the government’s decision to choose Mislatel, the consortium composed of China Telecom and tycoon Dennis Uy, to become the country’s third major telco player.

Poe made the remark a day after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) confirmed Mislatel as the new telco player after it secured “provisional” rights on Nov. 7.

“Next week, we will resume our public hearing on the third telco and we will use the opportunity to delve into the details of the decision to choose Mislatel,” Poe, chair of Senate committee on public services, said in a statement.

Poe said she would invite national security experts and telco technology specialists “to shed light on national security concerns” given that a foreign entity is included in the selected consortium.

The senator also said that she would ask officials from Mislatel, NTC, and Department of Information and Communications Technology to give a better understanding of what they have to offer to the public.

Poe added that Mislatel was required under the law to secure a congressional franchise before it could operate as the country’s third major telco player.

“While we have been assured by the NTC and the DICT that the selection process was without bias, we cannot be remiss on our duty and mandate to look into the matter,” she said.

“We should also take note that it is a requirement under our laws that the third telco or its Filipino partner must secure a congressional franchise,” the senator added.

Mislatel pledged to provide 27 mbps on its first year and 55 mbps on its second year.

Its selection, however, was questioned as Uy was a known supporter of President Duterte. /cbb

READ: Dennis Uy-China Telecom venture confirmed as third telco