Año warns people making prank calls on gov’t hotline they can be traced

March 6, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday warned the public that they can trace those who will make prank calls on the government’s emergency hotline.

Año made the statement following reports that of the total 18.483 million calls received by the emergency 911 hotline, 2.54 million were fraudulent, hoax, or prank calls. 

He said the calls surged after it was announced that the call will be free of charge.

“That is why we are asking the public to stop making prank call so that they can give chance to those who are really in need,” he said.

"We can trace (prank callers)," Año added.

He said those who are playing with the hotline will face sanctions.

Earlier, Año said the E911 hotline is a community-based security and development program that provides quick response and emergency assistance to people in distress. 

For 2019, they recorded 18.483-million subscribers higher from the 1.46-million calls received in 2016.

Aside from the prank calls, 37,440 were legitimate calls; 16,763 were non-emergency; and 9.716-million were incomplete calls.

“We are urging the public to practice discipline in making 911 calls,” Año said.

“For every prank or incomplete call that you make, there could be other people out there whose lives may be in danger or who need emergency assistance but could not go through because the lines are busy,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS