DITO Telecommunity, the country’s supposed third telco, is facing a tough challenge in convincing a cybersecurity-conscious community of retired and active military officers strongly opposing to the construction of a number of 5G cellular tower inside their premises.
In an online petition, the AFP’s Officers Village, Inc. has made known its strong opposition to the planned construction by partners DITO and China Telecom of about 20 cellular towers in their place of abode.
The passage of the ‘Bayanihan 2’ law has given the opposing homeowners’ group the right to challenge DITO in a referendum to be ofiiciated by the barangay council in the area.
Most of the residents in the AFP officers’ village are reportedly against the planned construction, prompting local authorities to set up the still undated referendum
to settle the conflict.
“I am worried about the cybersecurity risk posed by this 5G Dito towers inside our village,” said a retired military general, who added that other active and retired gov’t officials residing in the area shared his sentiment.
Stressing the risk on national security, the petition disclosed that some 40 residents are actually holding key government positions, “aside from the fact that our village is located very close to the headquarters of the Air Force, Army and Navy.”
“We are opposed to the cellular sites because it poses grave danger to our national security,” said households along Duque and Bautista streets where some of the Dito towers are reportedly to be built.
Residents said that in March 2020, some unnamed representatives from Dito have reportedly visited their village of about 4,000 lot owners. “They come to convince us, but failed,” they added.
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