To curb cell phone snatching: More teeth eyed for ordinance

The City Council committee on laws wants more teeth for a proposed ordinance aimed at curbing mobile phone snatching or stealing in Cebu City.

The committee said the proposal of Councilor Edgardo Labella to require those who sell or pawn second hand phones to present a valid identification card is not enough to curb the proliferation mobile phone snatching or stealing. 

“The intention of the proposed ordinance is commendable. However, it is observed that mobile phones are traded between individuals without restrictions or regulations. In fact, it has been observed that as between individuals, mobile phones are even traded in anonymity,” the committee said.

The committee suggested that aside from those pawning or re-selling, pawnshop owners and mobile phone stores that accept second hand phones should also be required to keep a written record of the transactions.

“For purposes of enforcement, this requirement may be inadequate unless pawnshop owners and mobile phone stores who deal in used mobile phones are also required to keep a written record of each transaction indicating the names and addresses of persons who sell or pawn their used mobile phones as well as a description and unique identifier number of the mobile phone unit sold or pawned,” the committee said.

Yet the committee agreed that requiring those who pawn or re-sell second hand mobile phones to present identification cards is a sound measure to curtail the practice of immediately pawning or reselling stolen items.

The business of stealing and re-selling stolen mobile phones has indeed been proliferating in the city, a recent tragic example of which was the recent killing of Nursing senior Ruby Jade Ruba who was shot at after being robbed off her mobile phone.  

In proposing the legislation, Labella said there is indeed an “undeniable linkage between the reported rash of mobile phone snatching and the proliferation of buying, selling and pawning of second-hand or used mobile phones in this city” following information that stolen mobile phones are being surreptitiously sold or pawned by lawless elements.

In fact, he said, there have been instances in which customers end up buying from retail/resell shops their own phones that have been previously stolen.

Under the proposed ordinance, pawnshops and retail/resale stores that are proven to have violated the law will be fined P1,500 for the first offense, P3,500 for the second offense, and P5,000 for the third offense.

Valid identification cards are those issued by a government entity, academic institution and private company that contain the bearer’s name, age, address and picture.

Once approved, the ordinance will be implemented by the Business Permit Section of the city government, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the National Telecommunications Commission.

Under the Local Government Code, the city government is mandated to enact measures designed to ensure that the mobile phone-owning public, as well as the operations of the mobile phone-based business entities will not be unduly harmed by criminal activities. — Joeberth M. Ocao/LPM