SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday assured that he will refile his bill that mandates the registration of all subscriber identity module (SIM) cards being used in the country to protect the public from those carrying out wicked schemes and illicit activities.

“Dapat maintindihan ng mga kababayan natin ang proseso ng paggawa ng batas. Ang may kapangyarihan na gumawa ng batas ay ang lehislatura pero hindi magiging batas ang isang panukala kung walang pirma ng presidente at ang ehekutibo rin ang magpapatupad ng batas,” Gatchalian said reacting on the president’s veto of the bill.

Gatchalian, author of Senate Bill (SB) 176, or an Act Requiring The Registration Of All Users of Pre-Paid Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards, underscored the need to separate the legislation on social media after a more thorough and comprehensive discussion.

“Ito ang isa sa mga una kong ihahain ‘pag tayo ay nakabalik sa senado. Pero ihihiwalay ko ang panukala para sa social media para mas malalim at mas komprehensibo ‘yung detalye pagdating sa pagmamandato nito. Aminado ako na ang social media ay nagagamit ngayon sa maraming hindi magagandang bagay. Unang una, yung mga troll, ako mismo nabiktima. Aatakihin ka at sisirain ang puri mo,” the re-electionist senator said.

“Malawak ang sakop ng social media. Saklaw pa ba ng NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) ‘yung Facebook, Instagram o Tiktok accounts na ino-operate sa China? May mga ganun na komplikasyon na dapat ayusin. Ako naman ay bukas na ayusin pa ‘yung batas para maging klaro. But in theory, dapat totoong tao lang ang mag register sa social media,” he stressed.

In defending the necessity of SIM card registration, Gatchalian pointed out that criminals have been abusing the anonymity to carry out their nefarious activities and this reduces the confidence of the public in using their mobile phones in doing online or digital transactions for fear of falling victim to fraudsters.

The bill, he stressed, seeks to promote accountability in the use of SIM cards and sets mechanisms that will make it difficult for criminals to commit mobile phone, internet or electronic communication-aided criminal activities.

At the same time, it will provide law enforcement agencies with tools to deter the commission of wrongdoings and come up with needed evidence trails that can easily lead to the resolution of cases, Gatchalian ended.

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