NULLIFY BOGUS BIRTH PAPERS — LAWMAKERS
HOUSE Quad Committee leaders have filed a measure that seeks to establish an administrative process to expedite the cancellation of birth certificates fraudulently acquired by foreign nationals.
This should include those involved in illegal drug operations and other criminal activities associated with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
House Bill (HB) No. 11117 or the “Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law,” marks the third legislative measure to arise from the Quad Comm’s investigation into alleged criminal activities by foreigners, particularly the use of falsified documents.
Among principal authors are Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” D. Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” C. Suarez, Quad Comm Chairs Robert Ace Barbers, Bienvenido Abante Jr., Dan Fernandez and Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano and Vice Chair Romeo Acop.
Other authors include Reps. Johnny Ty Pimentel, Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Rodge Gutierrez, Francisco Paolo Ortega V, Jay Khonghun, Jonathan Keith Flores, Jil Bongalon, Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles, Ernesto Dionisio Jr., Joel Chua, Zia Alonto Adiong, Lordan Suan and Cheeno Miguel Almario.
“A birth certificate is the most basic document a Filipino citizen must have. It is a document which provides the imprimatur of the State that an individual is a Filipino and opens to the individual vast opportunities unavailable to foreigners, such as practicing a profession, pursuit of certain businesses, or even to run for public office,” the bill’s authors wrote in their explanatory note.
The move comes after revelations that thousands of foreign nationals have secured Philippine birth certificates through fraudulent means.
In Davao del Sur alone, more than 1,200 falsified birth certificates were issued by the local civil registrar as of July 2024.
Lawmakers said these schemes likely involved collusion with public officers.
“These foreigners must have gotten aid from public officers from local civil registry offices to secure such falsified birth certificates for consideration,” the bill’s authors said.
Even with enough evidence of fraud, lawmakers noted that current procedures require a judicial order to cancel a birth certificate, a process that can take years.
In the meantime, they said, the fraudulent documents allow foreign nationals to engage in crimes such as illegal drugs, money laundering and human trafficking.
Under the proposed legislation, a Special Committee on Cancellation of Fraudulent Birth Certificates would be created, chaired by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Registrar General, with members from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice and Office of the Solicitor General.
The bill also seeks to penalize public officials and private individuals involved in facilitating fraudulent registrations.
“It is time to put an end to these unlawful activities. Being a Filipino citizen should not be so easily acquired or given away by unscrupulous and selfish individuals who only wish to attain Filipino citizenship to fuel their self-interests. Being a Filipino is something that we should always honor and zealously protect,” they said.
