Foreigners’ bogus birth papers revocation backed
DEPUTY Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed support for the Office of the Solicitor General’s (OSG) initiative to revoke birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals.
She called on the government to prioritize safeguarding the integrity of Philippine institutions in the new year.
“Ngayong bagong taon, dapat New Year’s resolution na ng gobyerno ang matiyak na walang dayuhan ang mananamantala ng ating mga institusyon,” Hontiveros said.
She noted the likelihood of other foreign nationals misusing Philippine birth certificates and urged authorities to identify and prosecute such cases.
Hontiveros urged vigilance particularly against individuals and groups linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), whom she accused of employing deceptive means to acquire Filipino citizenship.
“Nararapat din na trabahuin na ng OSG ang pagkuha sa mga ari-ariang iligal na ginamit ng mga POGO. These properties should then be used as reparation for human trafficking victim-survivors, as stated in the Anti-Financial Account and Scamming Act,” she stated.
Hontiveros reiterated her call for the passage of the Anti-POGO Act in 2025, citing the need for a comprehensive law to eliminate scams, violence, and exploitation associated with the POGO industry.
“I hope the year 2025 is the year we finally pass the Anti-POGO Act. Kailangan natin ng komprehensibong batas para masigurado na wala nang POGO ang mangscascam, mananakit, at manlilinlang sa napakaraming tao,” she said.
