PLDT Inc. announced on Friday that it has served DITO Telecommunity with a notice of material violation and demand for payment totaling P429.7 million.
In a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange, PLDT stated that DITO refused to pay the stipulated amount.
“PLDT has fully performed and delivered, relating to the building and provisioning of transmission facilities that DITO required and is using for the delivery of telecommunication services to subscribers.”
Similarly, Globe requested that the National Telecommunications Commission force DITO to pay the amount owed to it for international calls disguised as local calls that passed through DITO’s network.
Smart filed a similar case against the third telco for allegedly failing to detect bogus calls.
DITO, on the other hand, alleged the reverse and filed a case against PLDT and Globe Telecom for “abuse of dominant position,” claiming that its subscribers had difficulty contacting Globe and Smart numbers.
Given its parent company’s present cash issues, DITO, which is part of Dennis Uy’s Udenna Group, is said to be looking for an equity partner.
Absolut Distillers previously garnished Phoenix Petroleum for P157 million on overdue bioethanol deliveries.
Udenna sold Shell Exploration BV to Enrique Razon’s Prime Infra to shore up its cash situation. Following a thorough assessment, the Department of Energy approved the sale.
DITO now has until November 4, 2022 to correct the breach and pay the P429.7 million owed to PLDT, failing which the latter may pursue further legal remedies under the law to safeguard its rights, including, but not limited to, the suspension of the interconnection agreement.