Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to crack down on the sale of pre-registered SIM cards, warning that these are being used in online scams and financial crimes, especially during the holiday season.
“I am calling on the NTC and DICT to use everything in their power to compel the telcos to come up with mechanisms that would identify the subscribers. You need to come up with an innovative solution. We cannot allow this to continue. The law is already there,” Gatchalian said, stressing the need for stronger enforcement of the SIM Registration Act.
During a Senate budget hearing, the senator presented photos of pre-registered SIMs openly sold on Facebook and Shopee.
Gatchalian, one of the law’s authors, lamented that its goal to help law enforcement track criminals has failed due to the easy access to pre-registered SIMs.
“We need to put an end to this. Matagal na nating pinag-uusapan ito, lalo na ngayong magpapasko na naman,” he said.IMT
