Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday, February 23, has urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to crack down on individuals and groups using automated bots to hoard concert tickets for resale at exorbitant prices.

Pangilinan, chairperson of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, made the call during the hearing of his Senate Bill No. 226, or the “Anti-Ticket Scalping Act,” saying it is high time that authorities “make an example” of offenders to deter future abuses.

The senator lamented how bot-enabled purchases of concert tickets prevent Filipino fans from having equal access to the experience of seeing their “idols.”

“May digital footprints na ito. Meron kayong cybercrime division. So, ang challenge ko sa NBI, sampulan naman ninyo (Theere are digital footprints already. You have a cybercime division. So, my challenge to the NBI, is to crack down on these scalpers),” Pangilinan told the NBI during the hearing.

The senator’s remarks come amid growing public frustration over how quickly major concert tickets sell out, with many fans saying tickets are bought within minutes—only to appear online and being sold at higher prices.

Pangilinan said he believes that the NBI can go after these scalpers even pending the enactment of a measure on the anti-ticket scalping.

“Yung pag-purchase ng tickets online gumagamit ng mga bots. So kung considered as cybercrime yun under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, meron kayong pwedeng kasuhan. Meron nang basis to proceed with at least investigating itong bot-enabled purchases (The purchase of tickets online is using bots. So if this is considered as cybercrime under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, you can be charged. There is a basis to proceed with at least investigating these bot-enabled purchases),” he stressed.

Pangilinan cited as an example Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour, saying concert tickets were sold at a flat rate of P1,500 but high demand led to the resale of the tickets to as much as P10,000 to P20,000.

Moreover, the lawmaker said ticketing companies and event organizers should improve their cybersecurity measures, including improved bot detection, stricter purchase limits and stronger identity verification processes.

“All the more na mahalaga na protektahan natin yung mga (It’s all the more important that we protect the) consuming public—they go to great extents to be able to watch and enjoy these concerts. Tapos mangyayari sila ay sinasamantala (Only to end up being taken advantage of),” the senator said.

“It is oppressive and exploitative, and that’s why this hearing is being called. Kaya natin nais ayusin (we can fix this),” he added.

Under SBN 226, penalties for ticket scalping will range from P100,000 or imprisonment of six months or both for the first offense; P250,000 or imprisonment of one year or both for the second offense; and P500,000 or imprisonment of three years or both for the third offense.