During a Senate committee hearing on September 5, 2023, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) revealed a concerning loophole in the SIM card registration process used by major telecommunications companies.
Chief Attorney Jeremy Lotoc from the NBI’s Cybercrime Division conducted an experiment where they successfully registered a SIM card using a fake PhilHealth ID featuring a photo of a smiling monkey.
Lotoc emphasized the ease with which government IDs can be created using online templates, raising questions about the security of the registration process. This discovery is part of a larger investigation into text scams in the country, highlighting the vulnerability of SIM card registration to fraudulent identities.
Despite the SIM Registration Act being in full effect, cybercrimes involving SIM cards have surged by 190%, with 4,104 cases reported from January to June 2023, compared to 1,415 during the same period in 2022, as reported by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group.
Senator Grace Poe expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation, calling it an “insult” to the implementation of the SIM Registration Act. She pointed out that telecom companies are eager to gain more subscribers but emphasized the need for stronger regulations.
Globe Telecom’s Head of Policy, Ariel Tubayan, acknowledged the oversight and suggested that the national ID system could aid in verifying IDs.
However, Senator Joel Villanueva humorously noted, “But the picture shows a monkey, doesn’t it?” Tubayan explained that telecoms do not see the registrant’s information directly as it goes to the system.
Senator Win Gatchalian also chimed in, emphasizing the need for post-validation measures, stating, “We cannot allow horses, monkeys, and gorillas to be registered.”
In response to these revelations, there is a growing call for stricter regulations and penalties for the illegal sale of registered SIM cards.
As the chairman of the Senate committee on public services, Senator Poe highlighted the importance of technological updates, including facial recognition, in amending the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the SIM Registration Act.
