The Armed Forces of the Philippines is not worried about possible security breaches as China-backed Dito Telecommunity has been allowed to set up cell towers inside military camps.
AFP Spokesperson MGen. Edgard Arevalo said the military sees low risk in letting them put up cell sites inside military camps. Prior to approval, the application was thoroughly studied by information and communications technology experts.
“Low threat in terms of ‘yung sinasabi na concerns about spying, concerns about listening devices or eavesdropping. Pinag-aralan na po natin ‘yan,” Arevalo said.
“I just cannot mention everything because those are part of matters also of national security… May mga expert tayo na nakakaintindi rin diyan.”
[There’s a low threat in terms of concerns about spying, listening devices or eavesdropping. We have studied that. I just can’t mention everything because those are part of matters also of national security… We also have experts who can understand that.]
Moreover, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology have submitted their endorsement of Dito Telecommunity, as well as an approved franchise by Congress.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced earlier this month that he has signed a deal with Dito allowing them to put up towers inside camps.
Dito is a mobile services provider slated to rollout early 2021, backed by businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation and China Telecom. The Chinese government corporation invested $5.4 billion (about ₱60 billion) in Dito after it was named as the third major player.
