The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said industry giant PLDT will no longer seek compensation for the 3G frequency it returned in 2011.
PLDT acquired the 3G frequency from defunct telco Cure (Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprises) in 2011. However, PLDT had to surrender the spectrum to the government as a pre-condition to its buyout of Digital Telecommunications, which operated Sun Cellular.
Under the terms of the purchase, PLDT would be allowed to recoup the money it paid for the acquisition of the 3G frequency. PLDT chair Manuel V. Pangilinan was quoted by BusinessWorld that P3 billion would be a fair amount as compensation.
But ICT advocacy groups, particularly Pierre Tito Galla of Democracy.NET.PH, said there should be no reimbursement as the spectrum was awarded by the government for free. On Monday, Feb. 5, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte also said that spectrum should be given back to the government without any cost.
In a lengthy post on Wednesday, Feb. 7, DICT officer-in-charge Eliseo Rio Jr. said Pangilinan has agreed to forego the payment.
Below is Rio?s post:
