AS a matter of helping people get reminded of one important measure against cybercrimes we feel it
worth including as item in this column today the announcement by the National Telecommunications
Commission (NTC) early this week that the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the SIM
Registration Law is now completed.
The law however, is itself not yet effective until after 15 days from its publication together with its
IRR in a newspaper of national circulation. So, it is just a matter of time that the publication would be
effected and the counting of the fifteen days starts. Once the 15 days is over the law becomes effective
and the registration process starts.
It is, therefore, imperative for everyone owning a cellular phone to have his or her SIM(s) registered
or the consequences of failure to do so will haunt the mobile phone holder for long. As we have earlier
learned, all unregistered SIM will be blocked and cannot be used anymore. Therefore, once a mobile
phone owner procures another this time he or she cannot anymore escape from the responsibility. And
chances are, for not complying with the law, the SIM holder is liable to pay fines. And there may even be
bigger penalties.
So, let us all be keeping watch with our nationally-published newspapers or any announcement
through the broadcast media that the law with its IRR is already published so we can be aware of the
final effectivity of the mandate.
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Just a few days ago prices of oil products, especially diesel, did a dive bigger than expected. It was
another welcome development especially for those with private cars and drivers of public utility
vehicles.
A lot of drivers of the latter category vehicles were elated and expressed openly their appreciation of
the reduction of the fuel prices. But still, there are drivers who seem to have no contentment of things.
They want a much bigger cut for the simple reason that they want to have bigger income.
Of coursed who would not want to have more flexibility in their financial capacity in dealing with the
day-to-day struggle to live. But much as we want to, we have to admit that we are dealing with a
commodity the prices of which in the world market we have no control and will never have any because
we are not in possession of the resource.
It is our take therefore that instead of demanding for something we know we are not in a position to
get our wish done, we believe we just have to make the necessary adjustments in our way of life.
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Now we are presented a solid evidence of a research finding that says most violence against children,
female specifically, are perpetrated by relatives or even by immediate members of the family.
We are referring to the incident in Barangay Sibulan in Toril district, Davao City where a 10 year old
female child was killed and her mangled body was thrown into the bank of Sibulan River.
The child sustained several stab wounds and bruises, according to the police investigation report. And worst,
according to the police, she was possibly raped based on the presence of lacerations in her genitals and
some blood. A DNA examination on the blood and other liquid in the genital of the child is now being
done in the appropriate laboratory to confirm the possibility of a rape.
The suspect, according to the police, is the child’s own grandfather with whom she was reported to
have slept in the former’s house. That was the last time the victim was seen alive.
The child’s grandfather was arrested already by the police and reportedly admitted to the killing of
his grandchild but strongly denied he raped her.
We are not in any way interested whether the suspect grandfather is telling the truth on the rape
allegation. After all, he has already reportedly admitted to the killing, something that is unthinkable to
have been committed by a grandfather to his grandchild. And for that single crime alone the man who is
reported to be just in his sixties, deserves the highest penalty presently allowed by our laws. In fact, if
we were to be asked, we’d prefer that he pays the life of his innocent victim with his own life.
He is the total opposite to the common perception that grandfathers love their grandkids even more
than their own children.
