A government official linked the continued operation of offshore gaming operations in the Philippines to the ineffectiveness of the SIM Card Registration Act.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla linked the continued operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), often associated with illegal activities, to the ineffectiveness of the SIM Card Registration Act. He argued that the law's failure to integrate with the national ID system has allowed POGOs to flourish.
Remulla highlighted this connection during a Palace press briefing, where he also revealed that 60% of 911 calls are pranks. He explained that the difficulty in identifying and sanctioning those responsible for these prank calls underscores the SIM Card Registration Act's shortcomings.
"The problem is that the national ID system is not yet integrated with our telcos. So, POGOs continue to proliferate because the SIM Card Registration Act we implemented has not been very effective because no national ID was attached," Remulla stated on January 21.
He further explained that the lack of integration allows individuals to easily acquire numerous SIM cards, facilitating illegal activities often linked to POGOs. "Sometimes one person can buy 100 SIM cards – so, that has to be integrated also," he added, emphasizing the need for national ID integration to effectively regulate SIM card usage and curb POGO-related issues.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier outlawed offshore gaming operators in the Philippines after investigations found that they were linked to crimes such as kidnapping, money laundering and human trafficking.
The Sim Card Registration Act was enacted in 2022, requiring sim cards to be registered and linked to a government issued identification card.
Read related article: Immigration Believes 11k Workers Left In POGO Purge
.png)
Comentarios