DICT probes DITO over alleged undocumented Chinese workers

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is investigating DITO Telecommunity Corp. over allegations that it employs approximately 400 Chinese nationals possibly without proper visas.

DICT spokesperson Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso confirmed the agency's lack of prior knowledge regarding the issue, which was brought to light by a columnist's social media post.

DITO Telecommunity welcomes the investigation, calling the allegations a "rehashed" issue and expressing confidence that a recent audit will clear them.

The telco cited a joint audit by the DICT, National Security Commission, and National Telecommunications Commission conducted on April 8, 2025, which they claim affirmed DITO's compliance with cybersecurity standards.

The investigation, spearheaded by the DICT-Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) with the Bureau of Immigration and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), aims to verify visa statuses and determine if overstaying foreign workers pose a national security threat.