Inquiry into proposed cellphone registration sought in House
By Maila Ager -- INQ7.net
AN INQUIRY into a planned registration policy on mobile phones by the government is being proposed at the House of Representatives.
Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez said Friday that he would file a resolution to look into the “constitutionality, legality, and public interest aspects of this cellphone registration policy.”
Golez’s resolution for an investigation stemmed from Deputy National Security Adviser Virtus Gil’s proposal to set up a Cellular Phone Registration System (CPRS) to discourage theft and resale because stolen units could be blocked by cellular networks and traced once reported as stolen.
Gil made the suggestion after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed him to head a composite team "with police and operational powers" to address incidents of cellphone snatching, which has risen through the years.
Arroyo also ordered Gil to coordinate with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
But Golez said he was against the proposal because it was not only an “invasion of privacy” but would also allow easier access to tap private phone lines.
“It's an invasion of privacy. Cellphone numbers should not be in the hands of the government. All sorts of draconian measures are possible when those phone numbers are in government hands like police & military personnel, political operators, etc,” he said in a text message.
“It’s a frightening & chilling measure,” he said.
Golez said it would also be an undue burden for millions of cellphone users who would have to line up at the NTC to have their units registered.
“How would the people in the barrios away from NTC offices register their phones?” he said.
Furthermore, Golez said this policy would tie down the NTC with registration work when they have better things to do.
And lastly, the lawmaker feared that after mobile phones, the government would later on require the registration of laptops and e-mail addresses, among others.
AN INQUIRY into a planned registration policy on mobile phones by the government is being proposed at the House of Representatives.
Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez said Friday that he would file a resolution to look into the “constitutionality, legality, and public interest aspects of this cellphone registration policy.”
Golez’s resolution for an investigation stemmed from Deputy National Security Adviser Virtus Gil’s proposal to set up a Cellular Phone Registration System (CPRS) to discourage theft and resale because stolen units could be blocked by cellular networks and traced once reported as stolen.
Gil made the suggestion after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed him to head a composite team "with police and operational powers" to address incidents of cellphone snatching, which has risen through the years.
Arroyo also ordered Gil to coordinate with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
But Golez said he was against the proposal because it was not only an “invasion of privacy” but would also allow easier access to tap private phone lines.
“It's an invasion of privacy. Cellphone numbers should not be in the hands of the government. All sorts of draconian measures are possible when those phone numbers are in government hands like police & military personnel, political operators, etc,” he said in a text message.
“It’s a frightening & chilling measure,” he said.
Golez said it would also be an undue burden for millions of cellphone users who would have to line up at the NTC to have their units registered.
“How would the people in the barrios away from NTC offices register their phones?” he said.
Furthermore, Golez said this policy would tie down the NTC with registration work when they have better things to do.
And lastly, the lawmaker feared that after mobile phones, the government would later on require the registration of laptops and e-mail addresses, among others.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
10:04 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home