MANILA -- A Senate panel will resume this week its investigation into the country's third telco, with the winning bidder's Filipino partner, Dennis Uy, again invited to the proceedings, the lawmaker leading the inquiry said Tuesday.

Uy missed the last hearing on Nov. 27 due to a previous commitment. His Udenna Corp and Chelsea Logistics, along with China Telecom, are the partners in the third telco, Mislatel.

During the hearing on Thursday, the Senate public services committee will check Mislatel's compliance with the 90-day period given by regulators to fulfill requirements, said the panel's chairperson, Sen. Grace Poe.

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"We hope that this third telco lives up to its promise to improve the telco services in the country because there will be more competition in the industry," Poe said in a statement released by her office.

"Gusto talaga nating magtagumpay ang third telco pero kaakibat nito, dapat mapawi ang mga agam-agam ukol sa seguridad ng ating bansa," she said.

(We want the third telco to succeed, but it should also dispel concerns over national security.)

Poe "expects" Uy to attend Thursday's hearing, according to the statement.

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