The Mandaue City Council approved a proposed ordinance on first reading that penalizes both the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards to curb cybercrime and text scams.
The measure prohibits the sale, distribution, and possession of pre-registered SIMs, authorizing the Business Permit and Licensing Office to inspect establishments and monitor sellers in coordination with law enforcement agencies.
Violators face a P5,000 fine and potential imprisonment of 30 days to six months, with commercial establishments risking the suspension or revocation of their business permits for non-compliance.
TO CURB cybercrime and text scams, the Mandaue City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance that would penalize not only the sellers but also the buyers of pre-registered subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.
The proposed Mandaue City Anti-Pre-Registered SIM Card Ordinance of 2026 seeks to strengthen the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, by imposing local penalties on the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards.
Unlike the national law, which primarily targets fraudulent registrants and illegal distributors, the proposed ordinance makes the purchase of a pre-registered SIM card a punishable offense.
Mandaue City Councilor Jennifer Del Mar, the measure’s author, said addressing consumer demand is key to eliminating the illegal market for pre-registered SIM cards.
“We modeled our local ordinance after the national law, but we went a step further by adding a penalty specifically for the buyer,” Del Mar explained inan interview.
“Our logic is simple: if there is no buyer, there would be no seller.”
Expanded prohibitions
Del Mar said individuals who bypass the mandatory SIM registration process raise concerns because legally purchased SIM cards can be registered by the buyer.
“Why would anyone buy a SIM card that is already registered under someone else’s name when you can easily register one yourself? There is already a clear, questionable intention right there,” she said.
She added that pre-registered SIM cards are often used to conceal the identities of individuals involved in digital crimes, phone scams and other illegal activities.
The proposed ordinance prohibits the sale, distribution, purchase, transfer and possession for resale of pre-registered SIM cards within Mandaue City.
The prohibition covers telecommunications dealers, retail outlets, authorized distributors, independent resellers, online merchants and individuals seeking to purchase or acquire pre-registered SIM cards.
Enforced measures
The measure also penalizes the registration of SIM cards using fictitious names, stolen identities, or falsified identification documents. It further prohibits the unauthorized transfer of ownership of registered SIM cards without following the procedures required under national law.
If enacted, the ordinance authorizes the Mandaue City Business Permit and Licensing Office to inspect retail establishments, monitor local online sellers and investigate complaints involving the illegal sale of pre-registered SIM cards.
Enforcement operations will be conducted in coordination with the Mandaue City Police Office, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Penalties
The proposed ordinance imposes a fine of P5,000 on individuals or businesses found violating its provisions.
Commercial establishments may also face the suspension or revocation of their business permits, while individual buyers, sellers, or those found in possession of pre-registered SIM cards for resale may face imprisonment ranging from 30 days to six months.
Courts may impose a fine, imprisonment, or both, depending on the circumstances of each case. The ordinance also provides that violators may face separate charges under RA 11934, which carries heavier penalties.
To raise public awareness, authorized SIM retailers in Mandaue City will be required to display notices informing customers that the purchase and sale of pre-registered SIM cards are prohibited under local and national laws.
The proposed ordinance must pass second and third readings and undergo committee review before it can be submitted to the mayor for approval. / ABC