Palace: No Duterte hand in third telco bidding

Dennis Uy

Malacañang on Thursday said the link between President Rodrigo Duterte and Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy does not play a role in the selection of the “provisional” third major telco player.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo stressed that the selection of Uy’s consortium underwent proper bidding process without the intervention of Duterte.

“As we all know, relationship, alliances, friendships do not matter with this President. What matters with him is ‘you follow the law, I’ll be with you. You don’t follow the law, I’m against you,’” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“The President’s policy is not to interfere with his departments. The President has nothing to do with any of those biddings, any of those negotiations or contracts,” he added.

On Wednesday, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) selected Mislatel as the third telco player that would go against PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom.

Mislatel, which is composed of China Telecom, and Uy’s Udena Corp. and Chelsea Logistics, is among the three consortium that offered bids to NTC.

Mislatel beat Tier1, backed by former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, and Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (PT&T).

Uy is the president and chief executive officer of Phoenix Petroleum and is reported to be among those who donated money to Duterte’s presidential campaign in 2016.