Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 25) — The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a plea seeking a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the SIM registration law.
The SC voted to deny the appeal of the petitioners—which include the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines—during its en banc deliberations on Tuesday, the high court’s Public Information Office announced.
It also ordered respondents to submit their comments on the petition challenging the law’s constitutionality within 10 days.
They are the following: the National Telecommunications Commission, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Privacy Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Education, and telco companies.
No further details were provided pending the publication of the case resolution.
Filed earlier this month, the petition argues that the SIM registration law violates freedom of speech and privacy.
The petitioners also urged the SC to order telco firms to cease and desist from using information stored into the SIM register and destroy data already gathered.
RELATED: DICT urged to ‘reevaluate’ SIM registration process
Meanwhile, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy lauded the high court’s decision, calling it “quite encouraging” as the SIM registration law intends to stop text scams.
Earlier in the day, government agencies announced a 90-day extension of the registration period— a move approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
As of April 23, telecommunications companies registered over 82.84 million SIM, or 49.31% of total users, according to DICT data.
“This is one method, way of finally putting an end to the scams that are used,” he said.
“I’m sure yung mga justices natin marami ring natatanggap na texts kahit hatinggabi po. Walang pinipiling tao at oras ang mga fraudsters na ito,” the secretary added.
[Translation: I’m sure even our justices are also receiving a lot of texts from fraudsters.]
