2 weeks ago
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Globe Telecom Inc. is pushing the government to establish a validated database where registrants’ identity can be verified amid the alleged proliferation of pre-registered SIM cards being sold online.
Globe issued the statement on Monday, March 3, after the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) called on telecommunications companies to enforce a stricter implementation of the SIM Registration Act, as embodied under Republic Act (RA) No. 11934.
PAOCC reported on Sunday that SIM cards already registered to certain end-users are still being sold on social media websites, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
The Commission urged the country’s telco players to implement additional restrictions to end this activity, which has been linked to illegal activities.
In response, Globe affirmed that it is committed to upholding the SIM Registration Act by enforcing several safeguards, including only accepting the required identification cards for verifying registrants.
“However, there is no way for us to determine with 100-percent certainty if the identity is fake without a database from which we can validate the identity,” said Globe’s General Counsel Froilan Castelo.
Castelo noted that a validated database from which telcos can conduct a verification process would be beneficial to curb the spread of pre-registered SIM cards.
He said the government could pattern the database like the present National ID system, the Social Security System (SSS), and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
“Globe has been proactively asking for access to an official ID database from the government since 2023 to strengthen the current verification process,” Castelo pointed out.
Since 2023, Globe has continued to invest in its SIM registration platform through optical character recognition and data-matching capabilities. The company also made it mandatory for registrants to take a selfie to weed out fraudulent submissions.
“However, there are still criminals who are able to bypass this by using someone’s identity and then selling these registered SIM cards to scammers,” added Castelo.
RA 11934 was enacted in 2022, with the aim of stopping crimes such as text and online scams by regulating the sale and use of SIMs by mandating registration to end-users.
Under the law, selling or purchasing registered SIMs is prohibited, with a penalty of imprisonment of six months to six years and/or fines ranging from ₱100,000 to ₱300,000.
Just this January, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) seized nearly 8,000 pre-registered SIM cards, arresting 38 illegal sellers.
Globe has advised customers to be vigilant and avoid purchasing SIMs with tampered packaging, as this could indicate that these have already been used and repackaged.
The company added that customers could only register their own SIMs under their names, with the exception of those used by underage users.
It asked the public to never to accept offers to register SIMs on behalf of others in exchange for cash, as their identities may be used for scams that may result in the filing of criminal charges against them.
