Senator Panfilo Lacson has filed a new bill seeking to enforce the registration of prepaid SIM cards to stop text-based scams and crimes carried out via mobile devices.
According to the senator, “Possession of the most modern technology comes with tremendous responsibility.” Lacson added, “Towards this end, the State shall regulate the use and sale of prepaid SIM cards for users of cellular phones and other mobile devices only to persons who shall comply with the requirements herein set forth.”
The proposed bill will require persons wanting to use prepaid SIM cards to fill up a registration form with their names and the SIM cards’ phone numbers. Prospective users must present valid government documents such as government-issued IDs, passports, and school or company IDs with photos. SIM card retailers and telcos will be mandated to maintain records of the names and other data of all these prepaid SIM card users.
Law enforcement agencies will be able to use the records in criminal cases involving prepaid SIM cards.
