Sotto: Honasan an asset to DICT

Senate President Tito Sotto believes that Sen. Gregorio Honasan's expertise will be an asset to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), particularly on national security.

Sotto earlier confirmed that Honasan would soon head the DICT and revealed that the retired Philippine Army officer still owns a Nokia 3210, which Sen. Panfilo Lacson described as "jurassic."

"The thing is he will be in the executive department. From there, things may turn to different situations in the future. I think he will be an asset to the DICT because what we see is the communications and technology part but national security is a big factor," Sotto said.

The Senate leader added that the plan to appoint Honasan to the DICT had already been discussed in a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea last October.

"It has been some time already that there was an overture from the Palace to invite Sen. Greg Honasan to head the DICT. It was put off because we were thinking that we needed Greg in the Senate," Sotto said.

According to Sotto, Honasan's official nomination to become Secretary of Information might come on November 12.

If Honasan's nomination comes on the aforementioned date, he would still be a senator until the Commission on Appointments confirms his appointment.

"When the CA confirms him and he takes his oath, he will be deemed resigned as senator. That would be the situation unlike an ad interim appointment," the Senate president said.

Honasan's appointment to the DICT comes at a time when the government is searching for the Philippines' third telecommunications player.