Senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros have again brought up their concerns over Dito Telecommunity's business connection with China Telecom, with Pangilinan calling for an executive session to discuss the matter in the Senate.
Citing the military’s deal with third telco Dito Telecommunity as "foolish", Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she is opposing the Department of Defense (DND)’s proposal for a P500-million cybersecurity budget for 2021.
A telecom industry study released on Friday, Oct. 2, raised serious concerns, particularly on national security, on the selection and impending operation of Dito Telecommunity-China Telecom as the country's third telecommunications player.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros has called for an “immediate” Senate hearing to probe the agreement that allows new telco Dito Telecommunity to set up equipment and facilities within the military bases of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the country.
Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana should rescind the deal that allows China-backed Dito Telecommunity to build cell sites inside Philippine military camps, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said.
Sen. Ralph Recto has criticized the government’s approval of the use of military camps as cell site locations for China-backed telco Dito Telecommunity.
The holding company of new telco player Dito Telecommunity disclosed that Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy has stepped down as president to give way to the appointment of former PLDT chief revenue officer Eric Alberto.
Dito Telecommunity admitted, however, that the pandemic caused a number of key infrastructure delays just as they were approaching the peak of their rollout.
Dito committed speed of 27Mbps and the capability to cover at least 37,390,372 end-users in 7,425 barangays or over 37.03 percent of the population in the first year of their five-year roll-out.
