Sotto: Bombings, blackmail, scams to continue with veto of SIM card bill

MANILA, Philippines — Bombings and scams will continue to proliferate following President Rodrigo Duterte’s veto of the proposed SIM Card Registration law, Senate President Vicente Sotto III warned Friday.

“Ayos! Tuloy ang mga bombings and blackmail and scams using prepaid sims,” Sotto said in a tweet.

This, in reaction to Duterte’s decision to veto the said measure.

The proposed law is seen to curb fraud and other crimes aided by SIM cards. It also includes a provision against online trolls by requiring social media account providers to mandate real name and phone number upon creating an account.

But the President vetoed the measure, noting that the “inclusion of social media providers in the registration requirement was not part of the original version of the bill and needs a more thorough study, according to acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar.

“Prior versions only mandated the registration of SIM cards. The President similarly found that certain aspects of state intrusion, or the regulation thereof, have not been duly defined, discussed, or threshed out in the enrolled bill, with regard to social media registration,” Andanar said.