DITO assures no obtaining of classified info as it builds facilities in military camps

Third telco player DITO Telecommunity Corp. on Wednesday reiterated that the company will never obtain classified information amid security concerns with its plan to install telecommunication facilities inside military camps.

“DITO Telecommunity guaranteed that its devices, equipment, and structures shall not be used to obtain classified information from the Armed Forces,” DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said.

During a budget hearing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he had already signed an agreement with DITO to build facilities and install equipment inside military camps since the Senate did not have any suggestion or complaint when it asked for a copy of the deal.

Several groups and lawmakers have expressed concerns that the towers would open the country to spying by the Chinese government.

In September 2019, the Armed Forces of the Philippines signed a co-location agreement with DITO for the latter to build telecommunications facilities in military camps.

Infrastructure-oriented think tank Infrawatch PH immediately called on the DND to reject the agreement citing “national and cybersecurity concerns.”

Senator Francis Pangilinan also raised security concerns especially especially because DITO's partner China Telecommunications Corporation is state-owned.

He said China has the Counter-Espionage Law of 2014 and the National Intelligence Law of 2017, which lays down instances in which citizens and organizations can be mobilized in support of espionage activities as well as information and intelligence gathering.

“In response to the allegation that non-Filipino nationals will be provided access to military camps once the constructions of these installations begin, let us make clear that the Armed Forces of the Philippines has in place stringent protocols that disallow foreign nationals from performing sensitive technical work within military camps,” Tamano said.

“This information has been confirmed by Retired Major General Rodolfo Santiago, DITO Chief Technology Officer who has served the AFP with distinction for many years especially in the realm of security and intelligence,” he said.

AFP spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo earlier said the presence of the structures inside military camps would not harm the country's national security, adding that it has more gains than risks.

DITO, formerly Mislatel Consortium, was awarded its permit to operate as the third telecommunications player of the country on July 8, 2019.

The consortium is made up of Davao businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation, Udenna's subsidiary Chelsea Logistics Holdings Inc., and Chinese state-owned China Telecommunications Corporation.

“DITO Telecommunity is first and foremost a Filipino owned and managed company and will always look after the interests of the Filipino people,” Tamano said.

“The Memorandum of Agreement signed with the AFP contained the very same provisions signed by the other two telcos with the notable exception that additional provisions were provided pertaining to commitments of DITO to national security,” he added.

The DITO official also reiterated that as part of the new major player selection process, the company has submitted a cybersecurity plan during the bidding process “to prove that our networks and facilities will not compromise national security and shall abide with the National Cybersecurity Plan.”

“This plan has been accepted by the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and the National Security Advisor,” Tamano said.

DITO is targeting to have its commercial launch in March 2021.

“More than the other issues which have all been answered in our previous public statements, it may be more important to focus more on the fact that DITO has committed to invest P250 billion to improve the Philippine telco industry and has continuously been providing much needed investments and jobs for our countrymen especially during this pandemic,” Tamano said.—AOL, GMA News