PNP validating Pompeo’s warning on Huawei

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is validating the warning aired by United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., a Chinese communications equipment provider, poses a security risk to the country.

During his visit to Manila on Friday, Pompeo was asked to comment on the Philippines’ prospect of using Huawei 5G technology in modernizing its telecom infrastructure.

Pompeo said that the world should have its “eyes wide open to the risks of having that technology to be part of infrastructure, backbone or networks that are transiting communication inside of the country and back here around the world.”

READ: Pompeo: Open eyes to risks of Huawei, Chinese technology

While saying that the PNP does not see the supposed threat yet, Director General Oscar Albayalde acknowledged that Pompeo’s warning on the use of such technology, if true, is “very dangerous” to national security.

“Tinitingnan naman natin (We are looking into it),” Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Pompeo also said that the United States may be prevented from operating its own equipment in the Philippines where the use of Huawei Technologies is present.

Albayalde, however, said that the government will violate the law if a certain company is barred from the public bidding of projects.

“What is important here kung talagang may mga ganyang information (if there is indeed such information), we have to validate that. That is the work of our intelligence community,” he said.

The Philippine government has reportedly been in talks with Huawei for projects, including developing smart cities in Clark, Pampanga and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

Huawei is also the primary equipment supplier of the winning contractor for the “Safe Philippines Project” Phase 1, which includes installation of security cameras and is being pushed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Earlier, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto raised concerns over the surveillance system project, saying that Huawei has been hounded by issues on national security and data protection in other countries. / gsg

READ: Recto calls for probe on China-assisted ‘Safe Philippines Project’