The ‘Young Guns’ bloc of the House of Representatives called for an investigation into the reported manufacturing of fake birth certificates in Davao del Sur that allegedly serves the interests of Chinese nationals.
In a statement on Sunday, the group stressed that “there must be no fake Filipinos.” They expressed outrage over a report from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) about an office churning out fake birth certificates for Chinese nationals that sprouted in a Davao del Sur town.
Consequently, the lawmakers called for a congressional inquiry into the NBI’s discovery that almost 200 fake birth certificates were issued to Chinese nationals by the local civil registry of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian had first raised the alarm on the racket which he said has produced “200 Alice Guos” – a term he used to describe Chinese nationals who have obtained falsified birth certificates in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur between 2018 and 2019.
The syndicate can provide a foreign national with PH birth certificates, passport, driver’s license and other gov’t IDs for P300,000. Gatchalian didn’t say P300k for each.
“Syndicates may be behind the proliferation of fake birth certificates as well as the apparent abuse of the late birth registration system,” said Gatchalian, who filed Senate Resolution 1053 seeking an investigation on the illegal practice.
He said the racket was discovered after a Chinese national attempted to apply for a Philippine passport, but could not speak Tagalog when he was interviewed by Department of Foreign Affairs personnel.
Hengson Lemosnero, originally identified by the National Bureau of Investigation as Hanlin Qiu, was apprehended last Tuesday at the DFA office in Davao City.
The arrest followed reports from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which flagged the suspect’s documents as “questionable” during the application process at their office inside a local mall.
NBI-11 Director, Atty. Arcelito Albao said the suspect has been residing in Davao City for ten years. But the suspect could not speak or understand any Filipino language even though the suspect’s authenticated birth certificate from the Local Civil Registrar of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, bore a Filipino name, he added.
Albao further noted that the birth certificate in question was a late registration filed in 2013 in the National Capital Region (NCR).
He also noted discrepancies in the suspect’s account during DFA interviews. However, he emphasized that the investigation has nothing to do with the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO).
The Bureau of Immigration has said the rising number of foreigners with falsified Philippine documents is a “national security concern”.
“We have expressed this concern for some time. We view this as a national security concern because we have not arrested only one in the past. In the recent years,we have arrested 10 and last week we found three foreign nationals with Philippine documents,” Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval.Sandoval said in an interview with DZBB.
“We must understand that a birth certificate is more than just a document. It symbolizes a Filipino’s connection to their country. It is the first official document that every Filipino receives as their birthright, establishing their official tie to the nation,” said Davao Oriental Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario.
“This is not something that can be easily given, fabricated, milled or bought. Sa madaling salita (In short), the Filipinos are not for sale. Dapat walang pekeng Pilipino (There must be no fake Filipino),” he underscored.
Almario said there is a “need to strengthen our legislative framework to ensure rigorous verification processes are in place for the issuance of birth certificates,” including “enhancing the capabilities of local civil registries, implementing more robust checks and balances, and imposing severe penalties on those found guilty of facilitating such fraud.”
“What is even more infuriating and sad about this is that the Chinese nationals who were issued fake birth certificates may have links to criminal and drug syndicates,” Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun noted.
“They probably also found the easiest route to secure spurious documents to conceal their true identities and citizenship to continue their nefarious activities here in the country. Congress needs to investigate this,” Khonghun added.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, for his part, said he would like to know if these Chinese nationals had a backer that emboldened them to “make a mockery of the sanctity of the country’s birth certificate,” calling it an “affront to our national security and sovereignty.”
He noted that this practice is “unacceptable, emphasizing that “the issuance of falsified birth certificates to foreign nationals compromises the integrity of our civil registration system, undermines the trust of the Filipino people, and poses a significant threat to national security.”
La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega echoed these sentiments, noting that Chinese infiltrators with falsified Philippine birth certificates “could potentially exploit their newfound status to engage in activities detrimental to our country, including espionage, economic sabotage and other criminal enterprises.”
“The ramifications of such actions are far-reaching and could compromise our national defense, economy and public safety,” Ortega said.
Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, meanwhile, said “it raises serious questions about the safeguards in place within our local civil registries and highlights the urgent need for stricter oversight and accountability measures.”
“The procurement of valid birth certificates must be fortified to prevent any exploitation by foreign infiltrators. Birth certificates are foundational documents that grant access to a range of rights and privileges, including citizenship, education and employment,” Bongalon stressed.
Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy V also said the House of Representatives must “act decisively to address this issue” because “this is a grave matter that demands immediate and resolute action.”
“We owe it to the Filipino people to protect the sanctity of our civil registration system and safeguard our national security. Let this be a rallying call for vigilance, integrity and unwavering commitment to the principles of justice and sovereignty,” said Dy.
“During the Senate deliberations on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 budget, it was disclosed that at least 308 fake birth certificates were used for Philippine passport applications from January to September 2023. Six of these birth certificates belonged to foreign nationals who were issued Philippine passports.
The DFA also disclosed that foreign nationals often pretend to be Filipinos by presenting authentic birth certificates and valid government-issued IDs.
“We will call the PSA to attend the hearing. I hear the same modus also exists in Lanao,” Gatchalian said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “‘Young Guns’ at House decry alleged ‘fake birth certificates’ mill in Davao del Sur“
