A group of computer professionals said cybercrimes remain rampant despite the implementation of the SIM Card Registration Law nearly two years ago.
The Computer Professionals’ Union said the government was unprepared to enforce Republic Act No. 11934, citing issues such as a lack of valid IDs among some users and confusion over the registration process.
The group also alleged that some individuals charged fees for registering SIM cards, violating the law’s requirement for a free service.
“The government did not study the implications of this law,” said Maded Batara, a spokesperson for the union. “They didn’t even study SIM registration, even though other countries have shown it’s ineffective against scams and other crimes.”
Batara said the public was misled into believing that the law would end scams. “Instead of decreasing, cybercrimes have actually increased, according to the Philippine National Police [PNP],” Batara said.
PNP data showed a 21.8-percent increase in cybercrimes in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Senate President Chiz Escudero and Senator Grace Poe questioned the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) about its failure to stop text scams. The senators urged the NTC to take action instead of making excuses.
The NTC acknowledged the concerns raised by lawmakers, but maintained that the SIM Registration Act is not a “silver bullet” against messaging scams.
The agency said it is committed to enforcing the law and working with law enforcement to combat SIM-aided offenses.
“The NTC fully acknowledges the call of our legislators on the need to further strengthen not only the law, but also its enforcement, to which the NTC remains committed. Although the SIM Registration Act is not a silver bullet against messaging scams, it is nevertheless one of the most important tools for our law enforcement authorities because it provides legal sanctions for SIM-aided offenses,” the NTC said.
