BICOL Saro Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan on Tuesday said he wants establishments accepting used smartphones as pawned goods to require proof of ownership or purchase before acquiring them as a means to prevent street crimes involving the theft of these items.

Under House Bill (HB) No. 7969 filed by Yamsuan, pawnshops or other establishments buying second-hand telecommunications equipment, such as mobile phones, are also required to ask the seller to obtain necessary clearance from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to sell or pawn the article.

The establishment should also secure a clearance or permit from the station commander of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the town or city where it is located before buying the item.

“These requirements may appear to be cumbersome, but they are necessary to prevent the rise in street crimes involving the stealing of smartphones, which not only lead to loss of property but, in some unfortunate cases, to loss of lives as well,” said Yamsuan.

Street crimes involving cell phone theft appear to have increased when pawnshops started accepting smartphones as pawned items, Yamsuan said.

In 2019, the NTC received a total of 34,353 cell phone blocking requests and concerns, which indicate that these goods were lost or stolen. This number corresponds to an average of 2,863 cell phone blocking requests per month.

HB 7969, which Yamsuan filed with Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte, aims to amend Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1612 or the Anti-Fencing Law to include provisions requiring establishments to be stricter and more circumspect in accepting smartphones and other telecommunications gadgets being sold or pawned.

Any establishment that fails to get the necessary clearance and proof of purchase or ownership before accepting or buying a second-hand mobile phone shall be held liable for violating the Anti-Fencing Law and its permit or license to operate shall be revoked, as proposed under the bill.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco