Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to crack down on individuals and groups using automated bots to corner concert ticket sales and resell them at inflated prices, saying authorities should pursue cases even before new legislation is enacted.
Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, raised the issue during a joint committee hearing on Senate Bill No. 226, or the proposed “Anti-Ticket Scalping Act,” on February 23.
The senator said the use of bots to purchase tickets online leaves digital evidence that law enforcement can already investigate.
“These already have digital footprints. You have a cybercrime division. So my challenge to the NBI is to make an example of them,” he said, noting that authorities could pursue cases while the proposed law is still pending.
He added that automated ticket purchases could fall within offenses penalized under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, giving investigators legal grounds to at least examine bot-enabled transactions.
Pangilinan cited mounting complaints from fans who say tickets to major concerts sell out within minutes, only to reappear on resale platforms at far higher prices.
He pointed to the Guts World Tour of Olivia Rodrigo as an example, where tickets initially priced at ₱1,500 were reportedly resold for as much as ₱10,000 to ₱20,000 due to scalping.
The senator also called on ticketing firms and event organizers to strengthen cybersecurity safeguards, including better bot detection, stricter purchase limits, and stronger identity-verification systems.
“It is all the more important that we protect consumers who go to great lengths just to watch and enjoy these concerts, only to be exploited,” Pangilinan said, describing the practice as “oppressive and exploitative.”
Senate Bill No. 226 seeks to establish a nationwide prohibition against ticket scalping.
Under the proposal, violators would face escalating penalties: a fine of ₱100,000 or up to six months’ imprisonment, or both, for a first offense; ₱250,000 or up to one year for a second offense; and ₱500,000 or up to three years for a third offense.
