Senate bill seeks to crack down on ticket scalpers
Those caught reselling tickets to events at excessive prices face a stiff fine of up to P500,000 plus a prison sentence under Sen. Mark Villar’s recently filed Senate Bill No. 2873 or the proposed Anti-Ticket Scalping Act.
“We filed this bill to stop or suppress the worsening incidents of scalping, which take advantage of concertgoers or avid fans. The practice of reselling concert and event tickets at an inflated price by scalpers is no longer reasonable,” Villar said.
“We aim to give fans and concertgoers fair access to events of their favorite artists or performers. Every fan and every Filipino deserves to enjoy concerts without being extorted by scammers,” he added.
The proposed bill aims to prohibit 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 10 percent higher than the face value price of the ticket.
10 percent
The minimum 10 percent markup, however, may be reviewed and updated by implementing agencies. In addition, financing, managing, or operating ticket scalping activities on a large scale will also be penalized.
“As a preventive measure, we will require event ticketing, event production and event service entities to publish and post reminders against scalping in their premises or websites. They will also be ordered to adopt and implement internal policy guidelines and mechanisms to prevent scalping activities by employees, contractors and agents,” said Villar.
Under the proposed measure, there is no need to wait for somebody to complain before charges can be filed against a suspected ticket scalper. “The Departments of Justice, Trade and Industry, and Interior and Local Government, as well as law enforcement agency like the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation may also serve as complainant,” Villar said.
Penalties for those found guilty of ticket scalping are a fine of P100,000 and/or imprisonment of six months for the first offense. For third or subsequent violations, the fine could go to as high as P500,000 and/or imprisonment of three years.
Villar also highlighted the penalties for corporation offenders: “Apart from companies, directors, members, officers and employees engaged in scalping may also be held accountable.”
