Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III has called on telecommunications companies to explain the continued prevalence of scam texts despite the implementation of the SIM registration law.
“We need to review what the loopholes are,” Pimentel stated in an ABS-CBN News report. He emphasized the necessity for authorities to identify the technology being used to bypass the law and how registered SIM cards are still being exploited for fraudulent activities.
“It’s the obligation of the telcos to assess their system and the mechanics of their registration process. If done in good faith, it should lead us to identify the real human users,” he added.
Pimentel suggested that this situation should prompt the creation of additional provisions to strengthen the SIM Registration Act.
Possible POGO connection
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, on Thursday, linked the surge in scam text messages to the ongoing operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
“In the POGO scams that were busted, they used WhatsApp or Telegram,” Gatchalian said, noting that these apps are challenging to monitor due to their encrypted, internet-based nature.
Highlighting the numerous illegal activities uncovered during POGO raids, Gatchalian reiterated his call for the government and his Senate colleagues to ban POGOs in the Philippines. He announced plans to file a bill that will not only address POGO taxation but also ensure the industry’s compliance with Philippine tax laws.