DICT Probing DITO for Possible Espionage

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is now looking into possible irregularities involving DITO Telecommunity, a telecom company linked to businessman Dennis Uy. Uy is known to have close ties with the Duterte administration.

What raised eyebrows? Reports recently surfaced that around 400 Chinese nationals have been working for DITO despite only holding tourist visas. Allegedly, these individuals have been overstaying in the country, yet some still hold positions within the company. That raised a major red flag.

DICT Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso confirmed that a full investigation is underway. They’ve partnered with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), where Paraiso also serves as custodian, to dig deeper into the issue. They’re not stopping there, DICT plans to involve the Bureau of Immigration, especially since the case involves possible violations related to visa overstays.

Also joining the investigation is the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), another agency under DICT. The focus isn’t just on immigration concerns but also on national security implications, especially regarding DITO’s ICT systems and infrastructure. Authorities want to know if foreign nationals, who may not even have the legal right to stay in the country, are gaining access to sensitive telecom systems.

Paraiso noted that while the main issue appears to be visa abuse, the involvement of a telecommunications firm makes it critical to investigate any deeper risks. With technology infrastructure on the line, even a hint of unauthorized access is enough to trigger concern.

As of now, investigations are ongoing, and all eyes are on what they might uncover next.