LAWMAKERS from the Young Guns bloc in the House of Representatives are calling for a congressional inquiry into how several Chinese were issued falsified birth certificates by the civil registrar of Sta. Cruz town in Davao del Sur from 2018 to 2019.
Those who called for the probe were Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V, 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, and Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino Dy V.
Dy, a House deputy majority leader, said the chamber must “act decisively to address this issue.”
“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,” he said.
Bongalon said the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation “raises serious questions about the safeguards in place within our local civil registries and highlights the urgent need for stricter oversight and accountability measures.”
Birth certificates “are foundational documents that grant access to a range of rights and privileges, including citizenship, education and employment,” he said.
Almario said that the legislative framework must be strengthened to ensure that only valid birth certificates are issued.
“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 every Filipino receives as their birthright, establishing their official tie to the nation. This is not something that can be easily given, fabricated, milled or bought,” he said.
ABS-CBN News reported that Sta. Cruz Mayor Jose Nelson Sala Sr. said the town government has done “initial actions … concerning those involved.”
Earlier, it was reported that a 21-year-old Chinese was arrested after he tried to apply for a Philippine passport using a fake birth certificate.
On Sunday, the Bureau of Immigration officers reported that two women believed to be Chinese were held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on July 10 after they were found to be carrying Philippine passports.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the women only as “Dianne” and “Myla” and said they were booked on a flight to Beijing, China.
They could not speak Filipino when interviewed by immigration officers, Tansingco said.
Dianne presented a valid Philippine passport and a birth certificate to immigration officers.
The woman gave highly inconsistent statements about her age and identity and declared that she could not remember the name of the school she attended in the Philippines.
Myla attempted to pass through a separate immigration counter, but was also referred for further assessment after inconsistencies were noted by officers.
She presented a Philippine passport, a Philippine driver’s license and a UMID ID.
Myla claimed she was homeschooled by her grandmother and cannot remember details about her childhood and her family.
She later admitted that she acquired the documents through a contact she met online.
Tansingco believed the two women to be Chinese. “This seems like another case of fraud, wherein foreign nationals are able to secure Philippine documents through illegal means,” he said.
The two women were arrested and detained at the BI’s facility in Taguig City while awaiting deportation.
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