Sotto just won’t quit on SIM card registration

Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

IN A MOVE aimed at aiding the administration’s campaign against crime and terrorism, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III has filed a bill—for the third time—requiring the registration of prepaid subscriber identity module (SIM) cards for mobile phones at purchase, citing their use in illegal activities.

With Senate Bill No. 7, Sotto proposes to “neutralize cell phone-aided crimes” by requiring all telecommunication firms to undertake ownership registration for each prepaid SIM purchase – a measure that was defeated twice in Congress due to the resistance of telecommunication companies which cited the right of the public to telecommunicate or freely use mobile devices.

Sotto said that requiring individuals to present an ID when purchasing a prepaid SIM card would allow for easy tracing in case a mobile phone number was linked to a crime.

This is of particular urgency, the senator added, as unregistered mobile phone numbers continued to be used in bombings and other crimes.

Sotto filed the same measure the first time in the 12th Congress more than 10 years ago and then again in the last Congress.

“The government will be able to trace the SIM cards used in bombings, terrorism, blackmail, kidnapping and other crimes. At least there will be a start point for tracing,” Sotto said via text on Sunday.