Gatchalian eyes amendments to SIM Card registration law

SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian is considering amendments to Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Card Registration Act to boost the fight against fraudsters and scammers.

In a statement yesterday, Gatchalian said despite the enactment of the law in 2022, there has been a continued discovery of registered SIMs, cellphones, computers, and pocket Wi-Fi devices, especially in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations, that are being used in various forms of online fraud such as love scams and cryptocurrency scams.

“It is incumbent upon the government to safeguard unwary or unsuspecting Filipinos from any harm caused by fraudulent activities facilitated by cybercriminals, including POGO operations that serve as scam hubs to commit crimes,” Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, said.

He emphasized the need to identify individuals or groups that enable the “unlawful use” of registered SIMs in illegal POGO operations, adding this will help Congress evaluate and strengthen laws and policies, including possible amendments to the SIM Card Registration Act.

Among the amendments that Gatchalian is mulling include limiting the number of allowed SIMs that can be registered per user and regulating Short Messaging Service marketing, promotional, political, or fundraising sent through text messages.

Last June, Senate President Francis Escudero and Sen. Grace Poe slammed the National Telecommunications Commission after the agency claimed the SIM Card Registration Act is not a “silver bullet” to end text or messaging scams.

Even Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has complained about relentlessly receiving scam text messages from anonymous numbers.

The SIM Card Registration Act was the first law signed by President Marcos Jr. when he assumed the post in 2022.

The law seeks to end or curb electronic communications-aided crimes such as text spam.

Gatchalian said despite the law and Malacanang’s recent directive banning POGOs, there is still a need to address concerns about the use of registered SIMs in illegal POGO operations which, he added, facilitate money laundering, cybercrime, and other scamming activities.

Gatchalian earlier filed a resolution seeking