Honasan: ‘Trust AFP to adopt due diligence’ on deal with China-linked telco

Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan II answers questions from reporters on the sidelines of Stratbase ADR Institute’s Innovative Philippines forum on Friday, September 27, 2019. Pathricia Roxas/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan II defended Friday the deal between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the country’s third telecommunications player backed by the Chinese government.

Honasan, a retired Philippine Army officer, said the public should trust that the AFP did not blindly accept the deal. But he also said the disclosure of the project could have been premature.

“This is not new. Kaya lang siguro baka premature ang disclosure (However, maybe the disclosure was premature). But trust our Armed Forces to adopt due diligence, hindi naman ‘yung bulag silang pumasok dyan (it’s not as if they accepted the deal blindly),” the former senator said in an interview on the sidelines of a cybersecurity forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute.

AFP signed last September 11 a memorandum of agreement with Dito Telecommunity Corp., formerly known as Mislatel, allowing construction of communication facilities in military camps and installations. An intelligence official called the deal a “recipe for disaster” while Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana was reportedly unaware of the agreement.

READ: PH military to allow Chinese-backed 3rd telco to build in camps | ‘Recipe for disaster’: Intel official warns vs China-backed telco in PH

For Honasan, the deal was no cause for concern as other telco companies have done this since 1981. However, admitting he was not privy to details of the deal, the nation’s Information and Communications Technology chief said his department would not issue an official stand on the agreement until AFP finishes its own assessment.

Dito is a consortium of Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Udenna Corp. and Chinese government-owned China Telecom. The consortium is led by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte. /kga