NTC berated for sloppy execution of SIM card law

SENATE President Francis Escudero on Tuesday chided the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) for its lackadaisical implementation of the SIM Card Registration Act.

"Instead of simply mouthing excuses, they should explain why they have been ineffective and what, if at all, they need to enable them to combat and eliminate this social ill effectively," Escudero said in reaction to an NTC statement saying it has been facing challenges in eradicating text scams despite the measure.

The NTC said scammers employ various methods to circumvent the law, including IMSI catchers and portable and efficiently assembled mobile cell sites capable of sending messages without SIM cards. It added that scammers were also using over-the-top messaging platforms, such as WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram and Messenger, which are not currently covered by law.

"Unfortunately, the NTC has no liability for not implementing the SIM Card Registration Act effectively ... albeit it may constitute non-feasance in office... But as I said, they should help us by saying what else they need to perform their mandate," Escudero added.

On Monday, the NTC recommended strengthening the SIM Card Registration Act but, at the same time, pledged to tighten regulations on SIM card registration within the limits of existing laws.

"Although the SIM Registration Act is not a silver bullet against messaging scams, it is nevertheless one of the most important tools for our law enforcement authorities because it provides legal sanctions for SIM-aided offenses," it said.