Duterte Urges Courts Not To Block Third Telco Process

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has urged the nation’s courts not to issue any injunction on a restraining order that would impede the process of appointing Mislatel as the market’s third major telco.

In the wake of another court challenge being filed seeking to have the recently-concluded third major player selection process annulled, the president has made clear he expects no further delay in the appointment process.

According to Eliseo M. Rio Jr, acting secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Duterte has made it known that he does not want any DICT project to be blocked by an injunction or temporary restraining order in any court.

The DICT is involved in a number of connectivity initiatives, including the Free Wi-Fi in Public Places Project, National Cybersecurity Plan, National Broadband Program (NBP) and Government Emergency Communications System (GECS) projects.

The latest court challenge to the selection process was filed by a private citizen late last year.

Rio said the department is also working on a policy to underpin the initiative to support common tower companies in deploying more cell sites across the country and is pushing for passage of the new Open Access and Spectrum Management bill as part of efforts to develop a consistent spectrum management policy.―Telecom Asia