The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said there will be no delay for the selection of the country’s third major telecommunications player as the Manila Regional Trial Court denied Now Telecom?s request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).
The decision was handed down by Manila RTC Branch 42 Judge Dinnah Aguila-Topacio on Friday, October 12, four days after Now Telecom filed a case against the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for alleged insertions of certain provisions.
Now Telecom alleged that the provisions in the Terms of Reference were not taken up during a series of public consultations, particularly the P700-million participation security, the P14 to P24-billion performance security, and a P10-million non-refundable appeal fee. It said these requirements are “money-making schemes” imposed against the third telco.
The court, however, gave due course for the petition for preliminary injunction and set October 23 as a hearing date.
But with the denial of the TRO petition, DICT acting secretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr. said the timeline for the selection of the third major telco will go as planned.
“We will push through as scheduled,” said Rio. It was earlier reported that Now Telecom has announced its participation to the selection process as a member of a consortium.
Aside from Now Telecom, there are six potential bidders vying to be the NMP namely, Telenor Group, Udenna Corporation, PT&T Corporation, China Telecom, LCS Group of Companies with TierOne Communications, and an undisclosed bidder.
