NTC proceeds with third telco selection process

MANILA -- The National Telecommunications Commission said Tuesday it was moving forward with the selection process for the challenger to Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc.

Bidders have from Nov. 5 to 7 to submit their proposals. Also on Nov. 10, the bids will be opened.

A "provisional" third telco may be named as early as November, Department of Information and Communications Technology officer in charge Eliseo Rio said earlier.

• Antitrust body turns to SC to resume PLDT-Globe review

At least 9 firms, including China Telecom, bought bid documents but it is unclear whether or not all of them will file proposals.

One of the bidders, NOW Corp, questioned the selection process before the courts, saying it had turned into a money-making scheme.

The NTC declined to comment on the legal cases.

Last week, lawyers Joseph Lemuel Baligod Baquiran and Ferdinand Tecson have also asked the Supreme Court to revoke the PLDT-Globe frequency deal.

-- report from Warren de Guzman, ABS-CBN News