Due to the insertion of the social media registration provision by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, President Rodrigo Duterte decided to veto or disapprove the Subscriber Identity Mobile (SIM) Card Registration Bill.
The Deputy Speaker and Valenzuela City Rep. Wes Gatchalian, lead author in the House of said bill, firmly announced this.
Gatchalian said that although he wanted the measure to be enacted, he agreed with President Duterte to veto it due to Drilon’s ‘last minute insertion.’
“Unfortunately, the last-minute insertion of Sen. Drilon to include the registration of social media providers is totally not in line with the essence of this bill,” said Gatchalian.
“There is nothing in the bill specifying how to register such a broad environment (internet). Though equally important, that provision should have been studied further and filed as a separate bill,” he added.
Gatchalian refers to the provision that obligates social media networks to ask for the real name and phone numbers of users who create their accounts.
The measure mandates all public telecommunications entities to oblige the registration of SIM cards as a requirement for their sale and activation. The purpose of the said measure is to end scams and other crimes using SIM cards.
Duterte’s decision to veto SIM card bill blamed on Drilon
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto did not like the president’s decision to veto the sim card registration bill.
He said, because of this, bombings and scams using prepaid sims will continue.
But House Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Zarate and Senator Panfilo Lacson, favored the president’s decision.
According to Zarate, the bill is against the rights to privacy and free speech of Filipinos.
Lacson said the bill would violate the constitutional rights of a Filipino.
Senator Minority Leader Franklin Drilon congratulated troll farms, online bullies, and fake news spreaders.
“By vetoing this bill, the president lets trolls thrives, spread lies and hate, and fuel discord and division,” Drilon said.
On the other hand, Senator Grace Poe hopes that Congress would take steps to reconsider the bill for the protection of the people.
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