SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian seeks amendments to the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Law, including limits to the number of SIM cards subscribers can use.
Meanwhile, Senator Robinhood Padilla eyes the capital punishment of death for sexual assault.
Gatchalian also eyes regulations on Short Message Service (SMS) marketing, promotional, political, or fundraising sent through SIMs.
Gatchalian emphasized that Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act signed in October 2022, aims to deter the use of SIM-related technology for illegal or unlawful activities.
He pointed out however, that despite enactment of RA 11934, there had been discoveries of registered SIMs, cellphones, computers, and pocket Wi-Fi devices, especially in POGO operations being used in various forms of online swindling operations such as love scams and cryptocurrency rip-offs.
There have been massive financial losses for unsuspecting victims, Gatchalian noted.
Even with the President’s directive to ban all POGOs in the country, Gatchalian said that there is still a need to address concerns about the use of registered SIMs in illegal POGO operations to facilitate money laundering, cybercrime, and other scamming activities.
Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, earlier filed Senate Resolution 1054 seeking inquiry into the use of SIMs in illegal POGO operations.
He noted that in raids conducted against POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga, law enforcers recovered numerous SIMs, along with hundreds of cellular phones and digital devices, believed used in fraudulent transactions.
He cited the widespread use of (SIM) cards for fraud and scamming purposes.
“It is incumbent upon the government to safeguard unwary or unsuspecting Filipinos from any harm caused by fraudulent activities facilitated by cybercriminals,” Gatchalian said, citing as example POGO operations that serve as scam hubs to commit crimes.
He noted that POGOs may still operate clandestinely despite the total ban.
The senator emphasized the need to identify individuals or organizations engaged in the unlawful use of registered SIMs in illegal POGO operations to help legislators evaluate and strengthen relevant laws and policies, including the possible introduction of amendments to the SIM law.
On the other hand, Padilla filed Senate Bill 2777 proposing heavier punishment for rape and other sexual offenses.
"Despite the penalties under RA 8353, this representation still finds it compelling to increase the punishment for any person who shall commit an act of rape as stated under Paragraph 2, Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by RA 8353," Padilla said.
"By doing so, we can be more certain that our laws are stronger, more gender-responsive, and progressive especially in these changing times," he added.
Padilla pointed out that the 1987 Constitution mandates the State to protect the dignity of every person and guarantee full respect to human rights. He said the Charter also directs Congress to prioritize the enactment of measures that protect the right to human dignity.
Padilla also cited a study of the Council for the Welfare of Children and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 2017 showing more males aged 13 to 24 experience sexual violence than females.
Under the bill, the penalty of life imprisonment applies to rape committed with the use of a deadly weapon or by two or more persons, the rape victim becomes subsequently suffer insanity, or the victim is killed by the offender/s.
