DUTERTE WARNS TELCOS

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to audit telecommunication carriers Globe and Smart if they will hinder the entry of a third telecommunication company.

In a speech during the 45th anniversary of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) on Tuesday night, Duterte warned the telco companies “not to f--- the government.”

“I do not want to brag but they had a lot of demands. I have a warning for these people, I told them, I send them this message, ‘ do not f--- this government,” Duterte said.

“Do not threaten the government with cases. The [Bureau of Internal Revenue] might suddenly show up in your doorstep and start to audit you during the first year of your business,” he added.

Duterte however said that he is not harassing the telcos.

“Harass? No. If you will steal— who among them did not steal? That is them. Not during my watch,” he said.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte was against the idea of paying for radio frequencies for the third telecom player.

“The President was particularly displeased with the fact that in order to have a third telecoms player, we would need to find frequencies to be allotted to the third telecom player and he was displeased with the fact that frequency given to a shell company CURE which apparently was given for free would have to be bought back by government in order that the third player could be given these frequencies,” Roque said.

CURE is Connectivity Unlimited Resources Enterprises, a unit of the PLDT.

“The President rejected that proposal, that we pay for frequencies that we gave out for free and he warned everyone involved not to test the resolve of the President in allowing a third telecoms carrier to enter the country,” Roque said.

PLDT returns radio frequency

that PLDT returned one of its radio frequencies.

“Well, for us, now that it is returned [at no cost], all is well,” Roque said.

“The President said that he is thankful for PLDT’s cooperation because he understands that the additional telecommunications carrier will benefit the whole country. He knows and he thanks [PLDT for it],” Roque said.

“[Upon the return of the radio frequency], now that they are now sufficiently available the talks will now be faster. The postponement was motioned during the cabinet meeting but that was not approved,” Roque said. “The President’s directive is clear: He wants a third player in the telecommunications industry to be operational by end of March or early April.”

“PLDT’s plan of returning CURE frequencies to the government will facilitate the setting up of the new major player that can effectively compete in the market,” Roque said.

Last year, Duterte offered China the “privilege” to operate a third telecommunications company in the country to “break the existing duopoly.”

PLDT, Inc., chaired by Filipino mogul Manny V. Pangilinan and Globe Telecom, Inc. hold the majority of radio frequencies in the country.