Authorities have filed a criminal case against an individual in Cagayan de Oro City for attempting to fraudulently register for a National ID, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Monday.
The case involves a resident of Dipolog City who allegedly attempted to register twice. The individual first used a false identity and later tried to register using a real name.
The PSA system flagged the attempt through its deduplication process, which uses iris scans and fingerprints to detect duplicate records and ensure each identity is unique.
The case is now officially recorded at the Cagayan de Oro City Prosecutor’s Office. PSA officials said the filing was a collaborative effort between the agency’s Fraud Management Division, Legal Service and regional offices in Northern Mindanao and Misamis Oriental.
Under Republic Act 11055, also known as the Philippine Identification System Act, the willful submission of false information during registration carries a penalty of three to six years in imprisonment and a fine ranging from P1,000,000 to P3,000,000.
PSA National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Claire Dennis Mapa said the agency is committed to holding accountable those who attempt to undermine the system. He warned that safeguards are in place to ensure every registration is secure and unique.
Other punishable offenses under the law include the unauthorized printing or issuance of a National ID, falsification or tampering and the unauthorized possession of a fake or altered ID. The willful transfer of an ID to another person is also illegal.
PSA legal service director Eliezer Ambatali said the agency is prepared to take all necessary measures to protect the system from fraud.
The legal action follows a recent case in Cebu City involving the possession of a fake National ID, which marked the first legal proceeding of its kind in the country.
The PSA said it is also collaborating with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group to track down perpetrators of email scams that use the agency’s name to illegally collect money and personal data.
PSA PhilSys Registry Office deputy national statistician Rosalinda Bautista urged the public to remain vigilant and report any fraudulent incidents.
She said that combating fraud is a collective effort and encouraged citizens to verify the source of their information to avoid scams.
