Senators to NTC: ‘Don’t stand by idly’ as ‘text scam pandemic paralyzes’ PH

Senator Grace Poe (File photo from Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — At least three senators hit the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Tuesday after the agency claimed that the SIM card registration law is not a “silver bullet against messaging scams.”

Their moves came as electronic-aided schemes continue to relentlessly victimize Filipinos.

The senators who aired their frustration on the matter included newly-instated Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

“Instead of simply mouthing excuses, they should explain why they have been ineffective and what, if at all, they need to enable them to effectively combat and eliminate this social ill,” he said in a text message to reporters.

When asked if NTC is liability for not effectively implementing the SIM card registration law, Escudero said, “Unfortunately, none.”

“But as I said, they should [help us by] saying what else they need to perform their mandate,” he pointed out.

What has NTC done so far?

Sen. Grace Poe — who used to head the Senate panel on public services, which deliberated, approved and endorsed the approval of the SIM Card Registration Act — also expressed disappointment at NTC.

“The SIM Registration Act was meant to be a joint effort by all government agencies and sectors, with NTC at the helm, leading the fight against text scams,” said Poe in a statement also issued Tuesday.

“Sadly, these text spams and scams have become our new normal. What has NTC done so far?” she wondered.

“What have they done against bad actors, including those in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) hubs who were caught with text blast machines and other violations?” she asked.

Poe called on NTC to “account for its own actions or lack thereof.”

She likewise specified that the responsibility in eradicating electronic communication-aided scams lies with both NTC and telecommunications companies.

“The war against text scams should be a shared burden between NTC and the telcos,” she said.

“Surely, they are capable of devising a more straightforward mechanism that clearly shows immediate action on the users’ concerns and filters against text blast softwares,” the senator explained.

“Teaching users about spam filters should also be included in the agency’s continuous information campaign,” she noted.

“Ultimately, NTC needs to be more proactive than the scammers,” Poe said.

“It should lead the fight against it and not just stand idly by as this text scam pandemic continues to paralyze our systems,” she aired her disgust.

Face the issue seriously

Meanwhile, Sen. Imee Marcos said there is a need for NTC to address the matter promptly.

“Yung NTC nga eh kinakalampag natin. Sana naman, seryosohin natin itong mga problemang ito,” the senator said in an ambush interview.

(We have been slamming NTC. We hope we take these problems seriously.)

“Nagagamit pa yung SIM card sa ibat ibang krimen. Nadadali ang mga sindikato at andyan na naman sila. Bidang bida sila sa mga imbestigasyon ng Pogo,” she told reporters.

(SIM cards are now being used for various crimes. The syndicates get discovered and yet here they are again. They are at the forefront of the Pogo investigations.)

Republic Act No. 11934, otherwise known as the SIM Card Registration Act, was the very first law signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The law seeks to curb electronic communication-aided crimes like mobile phishing and text spam.