PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered the police legal team to review the SIM Registration Act and recommend measures to address loopholes identified by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG).
The directive came after the ACG raised concerns over gaps in Republic Act (RA) 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, that it said are hampering efforts to prevent and investigate cybercrimes involving registered and unregistered SIM cards.
Nartatez said concerned PNP units are prepared to coordinate with lawmakers and other stakeholders to review the law and craft possible amendments.
The PNP will also provide information and data from its operations, which can serve as a basis for proposed changes to the law.
The ACG has identified several areas that it wants addressed, including tighter controls on SIM registration and transfers.
ACG director Maj. Gen. Wilson Casil Asueta earlier said cybercrimes involving SIM cards commonly include scams, illegal online gambling and identity exploitation.
“Our SIM Card Registration Act is not being implemented effectively. We need new provisions,” Asueta said.
Among the proposals the ACG pushed is to use the Philippine national ID as the primary or sole identification document for SIM registration, as it contains biometrics.
The group is also proposing a five-SIM-card limit per person, stricter documentation requirements for SIM transfers and closer monitoring of how SIM cards are distributed and redistributed after their initial sale.
RA 11934, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022, requires SIM users to register their mobile numbers and requires telecommunications companies and authorized sellers to collect identification documents from subscribers.
The law was enacted to help authorities establish accountability for SIM card use and trace individuals behind crimes committed through mobile phones, including text scams and online fraud.
Despite the registration requirement, the PNP-ACG said cybercrime cases remain a concern.
From January to July 2026, the group reported arresting 766 suspects in cybercrime cases, most of them linked to online selling scams. It also reported rescuing 149 victims and securing 81 convictions during the same period.
While the legal review is being undertaken, Nartatez also ordered concerned police units to intensify operations against the illegal sale of SIM cards and the use of unregistered SIM cards in criminal activities.
The PNP said the review aims to make the law a more effective crime-prevention too
