MANILA (PIA) – – Sen. Win Gatchalian has called for a Senate inquiry into the alarming increase in fake birth certificates, which are being used by both Filipino and foreign nationals to obtain government-issued identification, evade immigration laws, and facilitate criminal activities.
Gatchalian filed Senate Resolution 1053, expressing concern that syndicates may be behind the widespread fabrication of birth certificates and the exploitation of the late birth registration system.
“Syndicates may be behind the proliferation of fake birth certificates as well as the apparent abuse of the late birth registration system,” he said.
This call for an investigation follows discrepancies found in the birth certificate of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.
The Senate’s fact-finding investigation revealed that Amelia Leal, listed as Guo’s mother on her birth certificate, has no official birth or marriage records.
Guo has been linked to a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban, which was recently raided by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for violations of human trafficking laws and serious illegal detention.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, highlighted findings from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which revealed a significant number of fake birth certificates.
These documents have been used to apply for Philippine passports and other government-issued IDs, allowing foreign nationals to circumvent the country’s immigration regulations.
During the Senate deliberations on the PSA’s 2024 budget, it was disclosed that at least 308 fake birth certificates were submitted for Philippine passport applications from January to September of the previous year.
Of these, six belonged to foreign nationals who successfully obtained Philippine passports, according to Gatchalian.
The PSA is actively investigating approximately 300 cases of fake birth certificates involving Filipinos and 65 cases involving foreigners.
The DFA has intercepted over 100 attempts by foreigners to obtain Philippine passports using fraudulent documents, and it has over 55 active cases under investigation by law enforcement.
The DFA reported that some foreign nationals have managed to pose as Filipinos by presenting authentic and genuine PSA-issued birth certificates along with valid government-issued IDs.
The BI has also raised concerns about the increasing number of overstaying foreigners who use fake birth certificates to misrepresent themselves and obtain Philippine documents, evading immigration inspections.
Gatchalian’s resolution aims to bring attention to the severe implications of fraudulent documentation and to seek measures to prevent further exploitation of the system.
The senator emphasized the need for a comprehensive investigation to address this issue and protect the integrity of the country’s vital records. For more updates and information on this developing story, stay tuned to our news platform. (JCP/PIA-NCR)
