The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) today issued a statement warning the public about fake emergency/cell broadcast messages purporting to promote the candidacies of certain political personalities through the emergency broadcast facility in mobile phones.
The NTC further urged the public to remain vigilant against the misuse of SMS Blasters, a device increasingly exploited to spread misinformation, misleading or fraudulent messages to influence voters, spread false information about election process, and even manipulate public opinion.
These messages are being broadcast through a feature available in some SMS Blasters using the cell broadcast or flash SMS option seen in software controlling the SMS blaster machines. The feature was discovered during testing conducted by the NTC on several SMS Blasters apprehended by the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) as part of its intensified operations against sellers of these devices in online selling platforms.
The misuse of SMS blasters, particularly through emergency alert systems, to disseminate campaign materials is not only inappropriate, but also undermines public trust in critical communication channels. The NTC strongly advised the public to ignore similar messages received under the emergency broadcast facility unless it is a legitimate emergency message coming from the National Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) or the PAG-ASA Weather and Flood Forecasting Center.
The NTC has endorsed reports of the misuse of emergency broadcast to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation, as illegal campaign, or the possibility of its use to discredit or malign the reputation of contending candidates in the upcoming elections.
In the past few weeks, the PNP-ACG and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), in coordination with the NTC, had been conducting multiple operations in Metro Manila and provinces to apprehend sellers of SMS Blasters, Signal Jammers and IMSI Catchers. Violators may face imprisonment of up to 12 years and fines of up to Php500,000.00 under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, Act No. 3846, as amended, the SIM Registration Act, and related NTC rules and regulations.
