House committee approves transfer of Mislatel ownership

MANILA, Philippines — The House committee on legislative franchises on Tuesday approved the transfer of ownership of Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company Inc., or Mislatel, to members of a consortium declared as the Philippines’ third telco player.

President Rodrigo Duterte last year invited China to be the Philippines' third telecom provider that will transform the country's troubled telecommunications sector that has long been dominated by PLDT and Globe.

Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, an old friend of Duterte, teamed up with China Telecom to form the Mislatel Group — which the Philippine government had formally declared as the country’s third telco carrier after two rival bids were rejected and foreign players backed out.

Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. will own 35 percent and 25 percent, respectively, of the eventual Mislatel consortium, while China Telecom will hold a 40-percent stake. Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company, Inc. will act as the franchise holder.

The House panel’s approval of the transfer of ownership came after it ruled that a complaint filed by DigiPhil against Mislatel is not within their jurisdiction.

DigiPhil was part of a group that tried to join the third telco selection process. The company alleged that Mislatel violated their previous contract when it partnered with the Udenna Group.

The measure will be forwarded to House plenary for consideration. A transfer of ownership will only be final once both chambers of Congress approve the resolution.

Mislatel is now undergoing a 90-day post-evaluation stage before they receive a set of valuable mobile frequencies from the government. — with a report from ONE News