FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1 289 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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.... 
The Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act creates a number of 
offenses relating to the electronic identifiers of mobile wireless communications 
devices. In particular it becomes an offense to reprogram the unique International 
Mobile Equipment Identity (I MEl) number which identifies a mobile telephone 
handset. It is also possible to interfere with the operation of the IMEI by the 
addition of a small electronic chip to the handset and this too is made illegal. 
If this bill becomes a law, all the major mobile telephone network providers 
will be able to bar mobile telephone handsets, when these are reported stolen or 
lost, by reference to the IMEI number. However, if the IMEI number of the stolen 
or lost telephone is changed, it will not be possible to implement the barring 
process and the telephone will be able to continue in use. 
It is clear from international Global System for Mobiles (GSM) standards 
that the IMEI number should not be changed and that it should be resistant to 
change. Indeed there is no legitimate reason why anyone other than the 
manufacturer of a mobile telephone (or its authorized agents) should need to 
alter an IMEI number. 
It is expected that the creation of these new offenses, taken together with 
the implementation of a handset barring system across all networks, should help 
remove the incentive for mobile telephone theft. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No.1289 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT 
TO CREATE OFFENSES IN RESPECT OF UNIQUE 
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT IDENTIFIERS OF MOBILE 
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES 
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... 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Re-programming mobile telephone.- A person commits an 
offense if-
(a) he changes a unique device identifier, or 
(b) he interferes with the operation of a unique device identifier. 
A unique device identifier is an electronic equipment identifier which is 
unique to a mobile wireless com.munications device. 
SECTION 2. Possession of anything for re-programming purposes. - A 
person commits an offense if-
(a) he has in his custody or under his control anything which may be used 
for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique 
device identifier, and 
(b) he intends to use the thing unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to 
be used unlawfully for that purpose. 
SECTION 3. Supply of anything for re-programming purposes. - A person 
commits an offense if-
(a) he supplies anything which may be used for the purpose of changing 
or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, and 
(b) he knows or believes that the person to whom the thing is supplied 
intends to use it unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used 
unlawfully for that purpose. 
SECTION 4. A person commits an offense if-
(a) he offers to supply anything which may be used for the purpose of 
changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, 
and 
(b) he knows or believes that the person to whom the thing is offered 
intends if it is supplied to him to use it unlawfully for that purpose or to 
allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose. 
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SECTION 5. A person .guilty of an offense under this Act is liable to 
imprisonment for a term not exceeding five (5) years and/or to a fine not 
exceeding P20,OOO.OO. 
SECTION 6. But a person does not commit an offense under this Act if-
(a) he is the manufacturer of the device, or 
(b) he does the act with the written consent of the manufacturer of the 
device. 
SECTION 7. All laws, de'crees or executive issuances and any rules and 
regulations or any part thereof which may be inconsistent with any of the 
provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed, amended or modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general publication. 
. 
Approved, 
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