Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking stiffer penalties against individuals selling registered Subscriber Identity Modules or SIM card numbers that can be used in various cybercrime activities.
Gatchalian called the attention of the authorities after National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Division Chief Jeremy Lotoc revealed that they have monitored individuals rampantly selling registered SIMs on several social media platforms.
Lotoc also noted that unscrupulous individuals were "able to skirt around the new legislation mandating SIM registration to verify identification."
He said a team from the NBI cybercrime division has successfully registered SIMs using the photograph of a smiling monkey.
Gatchalian said the criminals have taken advantage of the SIM registration policy, with groups, including those fronting as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, able to use these registered SIMs in various investment, cryptocurrency and love scams.
"The basic objective of the law is that if we register the SIM, there will be accountability, meaning you can go after the registered person if needed because the anonymity is creating a lot of problems," he added.
However, Gatchalian said the successful registration of a SIM using the photograph of an animal indicates registrants "could potentially circumvent the process." Hence, stiffer penalties to effectively deter fraudulent registration of SIM cards is needed, he added.
"Maybe we need to increase the penalties and make them hefty," Gatchalian said as he urged telecommunication providers to impose an effective post-validation mechanism to determine the veracity of a SIM user's details.
"There should be some form of post-validation if it's not automatic. 'Yung monkey example is bastusan talaga. There should be at least some form of validation so we can establish who is accountable for that post-validation," he added.
"We cannot allow horses, monkeys and gorillas to be registered. We have to do something. If we are not going to do something, this will happen over and over again."
Republic Act 11934 or the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Act was the first law signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his term and took effect in December last year.
The law mandates all SIM owners to register their mobile phone numbers. The mandatory SIM registration was eventually extended up to 25 July this year.
Under the law, those who use fictitious identities or fraudulent documents to register a SIM card will be slapped with a prison sentence ranging from six months to two years and a fine of P100,000 to P300,000.