Senate resumes probe on 3rd telco

Sen. Grace Poe INQUIRER.NET / CATHY MIRANDA

The Senate committee on public services being chaired by Senator Grace Poe has resumed its hearing on the entry of the third telecommunications (telco) firm in the country.

Poe’s panel held its first hearing a month before the government officially named Mislatel Consortium as the new major telco player last November 19.

READ: 3rd telco player known by Nov. 7 – DICT chief

Mislatel, the consortium of businessman Dennis A. Uy’s Udenna Corp. and state-run China Telecom, was the only firm qualified to bid during the selection process last November 7.

Uy, a known supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, was invited to the resumption of the hearing but he would be represented by Mislatel spokesperson Adel Tamano.

Other resource persons invited to the hearing were Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) acting-Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr., officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Competition Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue and representatives of private sector among others.

Poe earlier vowed to “delve into the details” of the government’s choice of the third telco. /cbb

READ: Poe vows to scrutinize gov’t choice of 3rd telco