NTC should consider penalizing telcos over text scams, says lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday told the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to consider penalizing negligent telecommunications firms that enable illegal activities, such as text scams, through their networks.

Gatchalian made the pronouncement after urging the NTC to tighten its regulations by intensifying its coordination with law enforcement agencies in the filing of charges against subscribers using their SIMs (subscriber identity modules) for scamming activities.

“Unless those who allow their registered SIMs to be used for such nefarious activities are prosecuted, scamming by criminal syndicates, including those associated with POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), will continue to proliferate,” said Gatchalian in a statement.

“The NTC should also consider penalizing telecommunications operators who are remiss in their duties under the SIM Registration Law that helped enable illegal activities on their networks,” he added.

Gatchalian issued the statement in response to the NTC after it admitted that text scams are still prevalent despite the mandatory SIM card registration.

The NTC, however, claimed that the mandatory SIM registration was not meant to be a “silver bullet,” against text scams.

But Gatchalian reminded the NTC that the law “clearly mandates” the promotion of responsible SIM use and equips law enforcement with tools to address crimes involving SIMs.

He also told the NTC to prioritize looking into messages sent through text, noting that it is the primary platform for scamming activities.