PT&T disqualified to be third telco due to lack of requirements

The Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (PT&T) on Wednesday was disqualified by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from the race for the third major telecommunications player in the Philippines due to its supposed lack of requirements.

PT&T's disqualification came shortly after the consortium led by businessman Chavit Singson was also removed from the race, also for  lack of requirements. The two disqualifications leave Davao City tycoon Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation as the lone bidder still vying for the third telco slot.

As of this posting, the NTC has gone into a lunch break before deciding on the qualification of Mislatel Consortium,  made up of Udenna Corp., its subsidiary Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp., and China Telecommunications Corp.

During the opening of bid submissions, NTC Selection Committee Chair Ella Lopez said PT&T was disqualified due to its non-submission of a Certificate of Technical Capability.

"Since participant PT&T has failed the preliminary evaluation on absence of Certification of Technical Capability, the Selection Committee has decided as ruled... PT&T is disqualified to move to the next phase of process," she explained.

For its part, a representative of PT&T manifested that it will be filing a motion for reconsideration (MR) within three days.

According to NTC Counsel Ronald Solis, the company has already requested the Certification of Technical Capability from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

"We have requested for this certification from the NTC as far back as two weeks ago," he explained. — MDM, GMA News