Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday expressed grave concerns about the reliability of Philippine identification documents amid reports of widespread counterfeiting.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of scam cases in the country, he announced his intention to file a resolution linking these incidents to other fraudulent activities, such as SIM card registration scams.
He called on the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to intensify their efforts in prosecuting violators.
The senator committed to supporting these agencies with the necessary resources to combat scams and the unauthorized use of government documents.
“I want to help you to find solutions. We have to equip you, but you need to tell us kung ano ang kailangan,” he said.
Cayetano emphasized the urgent need for a specialized unit to tackle the growing problem of scams in the country.
Cayetano cited the increasing “worldwide trend” of scamming, highlighting two primary motivations: personal gain or to defraud others.
He stressed the importance of convicting those involved in forgery, referencing the 2016 case where 177 Indonesians obtained fake Philippine passports.
The senator warned that these incidents undermine the credibility of government-issued documents.
He noted that stating that the international community “will not trust the Philippine passport” if such issues persist.
He advocated for the creation of a special unit similar to Singapore’s Anti-Scam Centre and Hong Kong’s Anti-Deception Coordination Centre, both of which involve collaboration between police, banks, and telecommunications companies to effectively combat scams in the country.
“We have to get ahead of the scammers. We have to think the way they think and stay one step ahead of them,” he added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Cayetano seeks to build specialized unit versus widespread ID counterfeiting
