House to start debates on bill requiring SIM card registration

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives is set to start anytime the plenary debates on a bill that seeks to require the registration of pre-paid subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to help law enforcement agencies in their campaign against criminality.

House Bill 5231, or the proposed “Subscriber Identity Module Card Registration Act,” establishes a system of sale and registration of SIM cards for pre-paid users by including pertinent data in a registration form.

Authors of the measure are Reps. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (Pangasinan), Magnolia Rose Antonino-Nadres (Nueva Ecija), Sergio Apostol (Leyte), Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa City), Winston Castelo (Quezon City), Joel Roy Duavit (Rizal), Sherwin Gatchalian (Valenzuela City), Maximo Rodriguez Jr. (Abante Mindanao party-list), Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City), and Marcelino Teodoro (Marikina City).

Under the bill, every direct seller shall require the end user of a SIM card to present valid identification with photo to ascertain the latter’s identity.

The direct seller shall also require the end user to accomplish and sign a control-numbered registration form issued by the respective Public Telecommunications Entity (PTE) of the SIM card being purchased.

The registration form shall include an attestation by the end user that the person personally appearing before the direct seller and the identification documents presented are true and correct and that the person is one and the same who has accomplished and signed the registration form.

An end user who does not produce valid identification with photo and who fails to accomplish a registration form shall be refused sale of a SIM card by the direct seller.

Teodoro said one of the key provisions of the measure is authorizing the PTEs to automatically deactivate the services of unregistered existing pre-paid SIM card subscriber.

A fine of P300,000 would be imposed if the offense is committed by a PTE for the first time, P500,000 for the second offense and for the third and subsequent offenses, a fine of P1,000,000 each.

The bill also imposes a penalty of suspension of its operation on any direct seller who fails to comply with the provisions of the measure and a fine ranging from P5,000 to P50,000.

The National Telecommunications Commission is mandated to promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the measure if enacted.

“The registration of pre-paid SIM cards would put a stop to the brazen theft of mobile phone units which have become an indispensable communication tool to everyone,” Biazon said.

Apostol said the registration of SIM cards would also reduce petty crimes as well as kidnapping, since most kidnappers use untraceable pre-paid cell phones to make ransom demands.