By Rene Acosta & Butch Fernandez
Outgoing Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. on Tuesday said he would accept Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana’s decision on the fate of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that the former signed with the Chinese backed telecommunications company Dito Telecommunity.
The top military official, likewise, asserted that the defense chief was neither bypassed nor blindsided following the signing of the accord.
The MOA, signed last week at Camp Aguinaldo between the military and representatives of Dito, or known formerly as Mislatel, allows the telecommunications company to set up “relay” and “line” stations inside military camps or installations, raising security concerns from certain sectors since the firm is partly owned by a Chinese company.
‘Electronic Trojan horse’
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto warned against an “electronic Trojan horse” in citing the potential backlash of allowing China telecom to install communication towers in restricted Philippine military camps.
Voicing concerns that Department of National Defense (DND) top officials appeared to be “clueless” that main military camps will be penetrated by Chinese telcos, the senator suggested that the defense chief should rethink the idea and act accordingly.
“If the Secretary of DND was left clueless about the China Telecom-AFP deal in his own backyard, then maybe it is time to install a radar system in his office,” Recto recommended in a statement on Tuesday.
Recto added, “If this deal can fly stealthily under the nose of the man responsible for our nation’s defense, then it raises anew vulnerability of our borders from intruders.”
The Senate President Pro Tempore pointed out that the project to allow a Chinese telco to install towers inside the restricted Philippine military camps “should have been cleared at the highest level due to its security implications.”
According to Recto, there are serious security concerns that must be addressed, noting that these China telco installation inside AFP camps could “morph into embedded listening devices.”
Proper procedure
“IT is his prerogative,” Madrigal told military reporters on Tuesday when asked about the possibility of Lorenzana’s canceling the agreement. The chief of staff granted what may be his last interview with reporters covering the defense beat since he is scheduled to retire this month.
Madrigal insisted he did not bypass the defense secretary since it is normal that papers, including agreements, would have to be signed by him first before they would go up to Lorenzana’s office for his signing, and this procedure was followed in the case of the arrangement with Dito.
Lorenzana, who was abroad and would be back by September 20, said he had not seen the agreement yet, and would look into it when he comes back, although the DND had already raised concerns, “not over the agreement,” but for the planned setting up of private telecommunications facilities with Chinese backings inside camps.
The DND had earlier raised similar concerns over the planned setting up of Chinese-run Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) near military camps, especially in Metro Manila, saying their operations could be easily converted into spying activities. Chinese firms have also put up plans to develop areas in the country that have strategic military importance.
Dito was the third phone company that had been accredited by the government after Smart and Globe companies.
“The MOA will have to be approved by SND [secretary, national defense]. But before the secretary of defense, I have to sign it before it goes up to the SND. It could not be that, it will go up first to SND and then return it to me for signing,” Madrigal said.
“So I signed it first, and then it goes up to the secretary…and allegedly, his words were not investigation, but he will look into and scrutinized it before he signs. It means, he will do his own diligence before signing the document,” he added.
The chief of staff said the military is open to any investigation over the agreement since some had been calling for an investigation, including Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
A statement from Dito that was forwarded by Military public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said that firm will comply with all government requirements as a “Filipino company.”
“Please note that when we signed the agreement, we understood that it was not yet final, and subject to approval with the Secretary of National Defense. It is important for the public to know that this agreement is similar to agreements that the AFP have signed with Globe and Smart,” the statement said.
“We want to assure the public that Dito has a cyber-security plan, as approved by NTC, and that the company will always protect the national and cybersecurity interests of the Philippines. This cyber-security plan is a requirement for the third telco and we are unaware if it has been required of the two other major players,” it added.
Dito said it is owned 40 percent by Chinatel.
“We have enough laws that cover espionage and other national security. While it may be legal for them [Chinese] to give information to their government, it is illegal to do so in the Philippines,” the company said about its Chinese partners.
Security implications
The Senate President Pro Tempore pointed out that the project to allow a Chinese telco to install towers inside the restricted Philippine military camps “should have been cleared at the highest level due to its security implications.”
According to Recto, there are serious security concerns that must be addressed, noting that these China telco installation inside AFP camps could “morph into embedded listening devices.”
He warned that the China telco project is like “letting an electronic Trojan horse into our camps.”
The senator suggested that this project “should have been subjected to third party expert study.”
Recto reminded that “this is the clean bill needed before the project can be greenlighted.”
At the same time, the senator advised that before the AFP brushes aside well-meaning reservations about this project, “it should note that citizens are merely using its talking points against the planned lease to Chinese companies of three islands off the northern tip of Luzon.”
