The law requires mobile phone users to register their SIM Cards in a bid to fight scams and crimes committed through text and online messages.
“With the signing of this act, we will finally achieve what has long been overdue, an effective means of regulating the issuance of SIM cards to curb the spread of spam text messages and scams,” Marcos said in his speech during the ceremonial signing of the law at Malacañang.
“We will soon be able to provide law enforcement agencies with the tools needed to resolve crimes perpetrated with the use of these SIM cards, as well as providing a strong deterrence against the commission of wrongdoing,” he added.
Now, SIM card users will be required to present a valid identification document with photo to all public telecommunications entities (PTEs) or direct sellers for the purpose of registration.
Information that will be acquired through the said registration will be treated as confidential unless users authorize access.
Under the measure, telecommunications firms are directed to disclose the full name and address of the SIM card users upon a duly issued subpoena or court order. Telecommunication firms are required to ask for a user’s valid identification documents before their SIM card can be activated and maintain a list of their registered subscribers.
Apart from this, law enforcement agencies conducting probes on crimes committed through mobile phones may submit a written report to the said firms for access to information of the SIM card registration.
Subscriber’s information includes full name, date of birth and address of users. All this information is “absolutely confidential” unless it was subpoenaed in aid of an investigation.
It also mandates that they submit a verified list of their authorized dealers and agents nationwide to the National Telecommunications Commission, with updates every quarter of the year.
Existing SIM cards are covered by the law or else it will be deactivated.
The use of false or fictitious information, the use of fictitious identities, and the use of fraudulent documents or identifications to register a SIM card or the sale of stolen SIM cards will be dealt with by appropriate penalties.
The SIM Registration Act, a consolidation of Senate Bill 1310 and House Bill 14, was the first legislative measure that successfully passed the approval of the bicameral panel of both houses in the 19th Congress. (With Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)