Allowing China-backed telco inside military camps won’t result in security breach, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday gave assurance that allowing China-backed Dito Telecommunity to build cell towers in military camps would not result in a security breach.

This, after several lawmakers like Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed concern over the agreement between Dito and the Department of National Defense (DND). She also sought for investigation of the deal.

“So ang ating intention po talaga ay pabutihin ang telecommunications connectivity. At in-assure naman po tayo ng ating DND na wala naman pong magiging security breach sa pagtatayo ng mga towers na iyan,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

(Our intention is to improve the telecommunications connectivity. And the DND assured us that there will be no security breach in building these towers.)

“The way I understand it, hindi lang naman iyong third provider ang gagamit po ng mga telecoms tower; the two other telecoms providers can also lease these towers para sa sarili nilang mga cell sites,” he also said.

(The way I understand it, it’s not only the third provider who can use the telecoms tower; the two other telecoms providers can also lease these towers for their own cell sites.)

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana recently disclosed that he has signed a deal with Dito, allowing the company to build cell sites inside Philippine military camps.

He said that Dito would be allowed only in camps where network providers Globe and Smart have cell site towers too.

Dito, formerly known as Mislatel, is a consortium led by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte.

EDV