Press Release
February 1, 2011

BONG REVILLA LOOKS INTO PROPOSED SIM CARD REGISTRATION

Senate Committee on Public Services Chairman Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. today conducted an inquiry on the highly-debated proposal to implement the mandatory registration of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.

According to Bong Revilla, the senate inquiry is aimed at listening to the both sides of argument regarding SIM card registration, particularly the apprehension that it will only result to invasion of privacy and more crimes.

"We are also looking at the proposals na i-register na lahat ng SIM-cards, of course, without violating privacy. Ang layunin natin dito ay protektahan ang publiko laban sa kriminal. Hindi naman tayo papayag na maging susi pa ang mandatory SIM card registration para lalo pa sila mapahamak," he said.

The lawmaker stressed that it is high time to address the alarming misuse of prepaid SIM cards. He said that violations of laws-from petty crimes to big time illegal activities- have been untraceable nowadays and it is only proper government must implement a measure to arrest the problem.

"Sobrang naaabuso na ang prepaid system natin at nagagamit na ito sa hindi maganda. Sabi nga ng PNP, almost 100% of the time sa mga krimen involving cellphones, swindling man yan, o stalking, o mga pambobomba, prepaid SIM cards ang gamit," Bong Revilla said.

The lawmaker also pointed out that safety measures can be made to ensure that the mandatory registration of SIM cards will not violate their right to privacy."Noong araw na wala pang cellphone, na lahat landlines pa lang, nakarehistro lahat ng numbers. May directory pa nga 'di ba kung saan nakalista pa ang address? So, kung at that time, hindi yun violation ng privacy, maybe we can device a system ngayon na hindi rin makaka-violate ng privacy. Nothing is final yet, but we assure the public na ang resulta ng ating pagdinig ay magiging katanggap-tanggap at angkop sa nagbabagong panahon," he added.

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