Acting DICT chief shrugs off talk of Honasan appointment

MANILA, Philippines — Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. shrugged off reports about the supposed appointment of Sen. Gregorio Honasan to the department, replacing him in the post.

Rio, secretary in an acting capacity, said he serves at the pleasure of the President and will abide by any decision on changes at the DICT.

“That’s entirely up to the President,” Rio said over the weekend.

Rio, then DICT undersecretary, was appointed by President Duterte as “acting secretary” last May. 

“We can’t do anything about it,” he added.

Rio described the reported offer of the President to Honasan as old news.

He admitted having misgivings about the revival of news regarding Honasan’s possible assumption of the DICT top post after a local telecommunication company, Now Telecom, had raised a protest against the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) bidding process to select the third telco entrant.

Rio lamented the reports of Honasan replacing him following the protest were “coincidental.”

Rio said he recently had a talk with Honasan, a close family friend, and received assurance that the senator  had not made any statement indicating a wish or plan to resign or take up the offer to lead DICT.

According to Rio, Honasan himself was surprised by the reports.

“He (Honasan) did not even know how the news of his supposed appointment to the DICT came about,” he said.

The DICT, through its attached agency, NTC, is in the middle of public bidding for the selection of the entity that will get to choose the frequencies needed by a potential third telco player.

The NTC last Oct. 8 started issuing the bid documents to interested parties, and has set a Nov. 7 deadline for bidders to submit their bids.

Rio said that the rumors of Honasan’s appointment will not hinder the DICT-NTC bidding process for the selection of the third telco player.