Cell phone, SIM list-up proposal opposed
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Times Reporter
A CONSUMER advocacy group has rejected the directive of President Arroyo for the mandatory registration of the subscribers’ identification mode (SIM) card and mobile phones as a way to curb cell-phone theft.
Anthony Ian Cruz, TXT-Power co-founder and co-convener, said the plan is not the solution to the thefts, and threatens the rights of phone owners.
“Cell-phone theft and murders continue because of the incompetence of the Philippine National Police in running after, prosecuting and convicting thieves and syndicates before the courts. This impunity cannot be solved by President Arroyo’s proposed plan to require mandatory registration,” Cruz said.
He also warned that the Cell-phone Registration System (CRS) proposed by Virtus Gil, deputy national security adviser and task force chief, may be used to snoop on the President’s opponents and critics.
“What the President should do is to order the PNP to catch, prosecute and convict the cell-phone thieves, bust cell-phone syndicates and investigate PNP personnel suspected of protecting them,” Cruz said.
Cell-phone theft has become a new criminal industry because the inutile PNP allowed it to become so, he added.
He doubted if most of the country’s 40 million cell-phone subscribers would accept the CRS.
The two largest telecommunication companies, Smart and Globe, chose not to comment on the issue.
Jorge Sarmiento, NTC deputy commissioner, said the agency welcomed the Palace directive.
Sarmiento said the NTC and the task force headed by Gil will meet next week to draw up guidelines on the implementation of the mandatory registration of phones and SIMs.
He said, however, the mandatory registration of SIMs was not realistic, because in 2000 the telecommunications companies had obtained a court restraining order on a government directive requiring cell-phone subscribers to register their SIMs. The case is pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
Sarmiento added that the government may follow up the case and file a petition to lift the temporary restraining order. “It is most likely that we will issue a Memorandum Circular requiring the registration of phones, because there is a pending case,” Sarmiento said.
He admitted that the Palace directive might prove to be a burden to consumers and phone firms.
The NTC will conduct a public hearing on the issue
A CONSUMER advocacy group has rejected the directive of President Arroyo for the mandatory registration of the subscribers’ identification mode (SIM) card and mobile phones as a way to curb cell-phone theft.
Anthony Ian Cruz, TXT-Power co-founder and co-convener, said the plan is not the solution to the thefts, and threatens the rights of phone owners.
“Cell-phone theft and murders continue because of the incompetence of the Philippine National Police in running after, prosecuting and convicting thieves and syndicates before the courts. This impunity cannot be solved by President Arroyo’s proposed plan to require mandatory registration,” Cruz said.
He also warned that the Cell-phone Registration System (CRS) proposed by Virtus Gil, deputy national security adviser and task force chief, may be used to snoop on the President’s opponents and critics.
“What the President should do is to order the PNP to catch, prosecute and convict the cell-phone thieves, bust cell-phone syndicates and investigate PNP personnel suspected of protecting them,” Cruz said.
Cell-phone theft has become a new criminal industry because the inutile PNP allowed it to become so, he added.
He doubted if most of the country’s 40 million cell-phone subscribers would accept the CRS.
The two largest telecommunication companies, Smart and Globe, chose not to comment on the issue.
Jorge Sarmiento, NTC deputy commissioner, said the agency welcomed the Palace directive.
Sarmiento said the NTC and the task force headed by Gil will meet next week to draw up guidelines on the implementation of the mandatory registration of phones and SIMs.
He said, however, the mandatory registration of SIMs was not realistic, because in 2000 the telecommunications companies had obtained a court restraining order on a government directive requiring cell-phone subscribers to register their SIMs. The case is pending before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
Sarmiento added that the government may follow up the case and file a petition to lift the temporary restraining order. “It is most likely that we will issue a Memorandum Circular requiring the registration of phones, because there is a pending case,” Sarmiento said.
He admitted that the Palace directive might prove to be a burden to consumers and phone firms.
The NTC will conduct a public hearing on the issue
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
10:01 PM
1 Comments:
Another scheme to fatten someone's pocket or make the NTC another milking cow
By
Anonymous, at 9/11/2007 8:27 AM
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