The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has thrown out legal appeals submitted by Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Company (PT&T) and SEAR Telecoms – the consortium comprising Mindanao-based TierOne Communications, the Luis Chavit Singson Group of Companies and other foreign firms – which sought to revoke the award of third telco rights to Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company (Mislatel), the joint venture of China Telecom and Davao tycoon Dennis Uy.
In its decision published 12 November, the NTC said it had no jurisdiction to decide on disputes among participants and restated its position that it had selected the New Major Player (NMP) based on results of the evaluation of committed level of service in the submitted documents. It is understood that in its filing, SEAR Telecoms had raised doubts over Mislatel’s alleged existing contractual obligations with TierOne subsidiary DigiPhil. In its ruling dismissing the challenge, however, the regulator disagreed saying the agreement was neither ‘fraudulent nor obstructive’ under the instruction to the bidding participants. SEAR Telecoms, which claims that the NTC rushed the decision and just ‘washed its hands’, may yet appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, PT&T submitted a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange, confirming that the NTC had also rejected its appeal. The telco is reviewing the decision and noted: ‘We will be advising the stakeholders on the next steps that the company will take as soon as the same is decided by the management’.