Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants the Senate to look into the alarming increase of fake birth certificates, which are reportedly being used by foreign nationals to secure government-issued identification and evade immigration laws.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, expressed concerns on the possibility that these fraudulent documents could be facilitating crimes and raising significant national security issues.
He cited findings from recent investigations by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), revealing a disturbing trend of both locals and foreigners obtaining fake birth certificates.
During a Senate session discussing the PSA’s 2024 budget, it was disclosed that from January to September of the previous year, at least 308 fake birth certificates were submitted for Philippine passport applications.
Six of these cases involved foreign nationals who obtained Philippine passports through fraudulent means.
The PSA is currently investigating approximately 300 incidents involving fake birth certificates among Filipinos and about 65 cases involving foreign nationals.
The DFA has been actively blocking attempts by foreigners to use falsified documents for passport applications, reporting over 100 incidents and referring more than 55 active cases to law enforcement agencies.
These foreign nationals reportedly pose as Filipinos by presenting genuine PSA-issued birth certificates, which were acquired through illegal means.
Similarly, the BI expressed serious concerns over the rising number of overstaying foreigners using fake Philippine documents to bypass immigration controls.
In response to these issues, Gatchalian has introduced Senate Resolution 1053, calling for a comprehensive investigation into the matter. This call for action follows a Senate fact-finding mission into the birth certificate of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
The investigation uncovered significant discrepancies, including the non-existence of her supposed mother, Amelia Leal, in government records. Guo’s case has drawn additional scrutiny because of her alleged connections to a POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations) hub in Bamban.
Guo, who has been suspended, insists on her Filipino citizenship based on her birth certificate and passport, and denies any involvement with POGO operations in her jurisdiction.
