Senator Mark Villar vowed to go after ticket scalpers as he filed Senate Bill No. 2873, otherwise known as the Anti-Ticket Scalping Act.
“Inihain po natin ang panukalang batas na ito upang matigil na o masugpo ang lumalalang scalping sa bansa na sumasamantala ng ating mga kababayang concert goers o avid fans. Hindi na po makatuwiran ang pagpapatong ng di makataong halaga sa mga concert at events ticket ng mga scalper na ito,” Villar said.
“Every fan and every Filipino deserves to enjoy concerts without being extorted by scammers.”
“Layunin po natin na mabigyan ng fair access ang mga fan at concert goer na talagang naghahangad na makapunta sa mga concert at a reasonable price. Hindi po nila deserve ang walang habas na pananamantala ng mga scalper. Every fan and every Filipino deserves to enjoy concerts without being extorted by scammers,” he further said.
The bill prohibits the offering, hoarding, selling, distributing, buying, dealing in, disposing of, or otherwise acquiring admission tickets for entertainment events, without written permission from the authorized event producer, organizer, and distributor, obtaining and reselling tickets by more than ten percent (10%) higher than the face value price of the ticket. The minimum 10% markup may be reviewed and updated by the implementing agencies. In addition, financing, managing, or operating ticket scalping activities on a large scale will also be penalized.
“Bilang prevention measure, ire-require na rin ang mga event ticketing, event production and event service entities na mag-publish or mag-post ng reminders against scalping sa kanilang premises or websites. Inuutusan din sila na mag-adopt at mag-implement ng internal policy guidelines at mechanisms para maiwasan ang scalping activities sa kanilang employees, contractors at agents,” the legislator explained.
“Hindi na kailangang antayin na mayroon pang magreklamo para makapagsampa ng kaso laban sa mga scalper.”
“Ayon din sa finile nating bill, hindi na rin kailangang antayin na mayroon pang magreklamo para makapagsampa ng kaso laban sa mga scalper. Ang DOJ, DTI, DILG pati na ang mga law enforcement agency gaya ng PNP at NBI ay maaari na ring maging complainant,” the senator clarified other critical provisions of the proposed measure.
Persons found guilty of ticket scalping will be fined P100,000 and/or imprisonment of six months for the first offense. This penalty could go as much as P500,000 and/or imprisonment of three years for the third and subsequent offenses.
Senator Mark also highlighted the penalties for corporation offenders: ” Bukod sa kompanya, pwede na ring papanagutin ang directors, members, officers and employees na sangkot sa scalping.”
“Aktibo po nating isusulong at ipaglalaban ang pagsasabatas ng bill na ito laban sa mga scalper na ito at mabigyan ng patas na access sa mga concert at event ang ating mga kababayan. These scalpers are scammers at hindi po tayo papayag na mas lalo pa silang dumami at patuloy na makapang-loko ng mga Pilipino,” Senator Mark concluded.
