First impression

Ronaldo Solis, newly appointed commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission, says he does not have the slightest idea why the President chose him to head the NTC.

True, he was a member of the private prosecution during the impeachment proceedings against former President Estrada. In particular, he was assigned to prepare the evidence and the testimony of witnesses, including the late Sister Christine Tan, in connection with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office scam.

It is also true that one of the law firms he worked with in the past had as client a company engaged in the telecommunications business. Other than this, he was never involved in the telecommunications industry. For the past 17 years, he was basically engaged in litigation as a private practitioner.

In fact, when a reporter asked him if he has any celebrated case, he had to think very hard about it and then said that it was the attempted homicide case of one young actor.

He flatly denied rumors that he was placed in the NTC to raise funds for the upcoming elections and that he was closely connected with the highly influential Carpio, Villaraza law office. While Justice Antonio Carpio, lawyer Pancho Villaraza, and presidential legal adviser Nonong Cruz are fellow Sigma Rhoans, Solis claims that they are not close friends, just mere acquaintances.

His batchmates at the UP College of Law include House committee on transportation and communications chairman Jerome Paras who incidentally has already asked Solis to attend a committee hearing this week regarding the proposed reorganization of the NTC.

According to him, he had no inkling of his impending appointment until the Department of Transportation and Communications called him up scheduling his oath-taking.

So I asked him what his marching orders are from Malacañang. He said that only thing he know the President wants him to do is to continue making the telecommunications industry a level-playing field.

He says that some of the so-called achievements mentioned by former NTC commissioner Armi Jane Borje in her letter to the President are worth continuing. These include minimizing graft and corrupt practices in the commission, helping in the anti-kidnapping efforts of the government particularly the NACTAF, among others.

He also said that if the NTC is asked to help Philippine carriers in connection with charges of violation of the US anti-trust laws leveled against them, then the commission would extend assistance to the best of its abilities, subject of course to limitations posed by law.

NTC’s new chief also said that he will let market forces prevail in the telecommunications sector, since too much regulation might destroy the gains already achieved as far as real competition among the players is concerned.

It’s too early to say whether Solis will deliver or not, given that he has only four or five months in office. But as for him, he says that whatever knowledge he will gain in his short stint in the NTC will definitely expand his horizon, so to speak. That is, assuming he behaves at the commission.

Rockwell Rocks

I wouldn’t be the least surprised if the residents of Rockwell decide to band together and vent their disgust on famed stage performer and singer Fides Cuyugan Asensio. You see, Madam Asensio owns a unit at one of plush Rockwell’s residential towers but which is currently rented by a certain Hilario Soriano.

Madam Asensio apparently gave her tenant a power of attorney which was used to file, on her behalf, what some Rockwell unit owners describe as a nuisance suit against the homeowner’s association. And the issue at hand – monthly dues.

People privy to the matter tend to believe the act of Mr. Soriano simply manifests his inability to settle basic dues assessed on all Rockwell residents and that he’ll stop at nothing to continue his stay at the upscale condo complex.

Some Rockwell residents, in the meantime, are uneasy and concerned about how Ms. Asensio could even allow herself to be used for such a stunt. One which they say would ultimately affect the value of her own property.

The name Hilario Soriano continues to ring a familiar bell. Could he be the same Hilario Soriano that was behind the failed Rural Bank of San Miguel? If he is, then it seems he has recovered from his legal and financial woes quite fast. You see, Soriano was president and principal stockholder of the bank when it was closed in 2000. He was consequently sued by the PDIC and a number of other individuals for estafa and some other criminal case relative to accusations of his inappropriate disposition of bank funds.

Yasay Out, DC Firm In

Gary Olivar, chief finance and administrative officer of BayanTel, has just confirmed a report in The STAR that the company has engaged the services of Washington DC-based law firm to represent it in all proceedings relating to the ongoing Honolulu grand jury investigation regarding alleged violation of US anti-trust law by local telecommunications companies.

Four BayanTel executives led by its chief consultant Tunde Fafunwa, while in the course of attending the Pacific Telecommunications Conference (PTC) in Honolulu, Hawaii, were each served with sub-poenas directing them to appear and provide testimony before a grand jury investigating charges that Philippine telecommunications carriers violated US anti trust laws through alleged price fixing in the establishment of rates on calls from the US and terminating in the Philippines.

According to Olivar, initially and for the purpose of having the BayanTel executives apprised of their legal rights under US laws, BayanTel asked former SEC Chairman Perfecto Yasay, who happened to be in Honolulu, to provide advice, with the understanding that such services were of a temporary nature, and shall last until suitable legal representation is secured. BayanTel has since engaged on Jan. 13 the services of Vinson & Elkins, to represent it in all related proceedings before the US Department of Justice. Vinson & Elkins is being assisted by Honolulu lawyer David Gierlach.

Olivar maintains that BayanTel has consistently endeavored to comply with and follow Philippine laws and regulations in all its dealings with the public, just as it is fully aware that its obligations to the nation compel it to ensure compliance with applicable foreign regulations as well. It is in this light that BayanTel continues to cooperate fully with the investigation, he adds.

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