Tip of the iceberg? Senators want crackdown on fake birth certificates

MANILA,  Philippines — Senators want a crackdown on those behind the proliferation of fake birth certificates in the country, saying the case in Lanao del Sur could just be the “tip of the iceberg.”

Latest reports revealed that the number of falsified birth certificates found in the province alone has grown to 1,200 from only around 200.

READ: NBI Davao uncovers ‘falsified birth certificates’ issued to Chinese

“I think that is only the ‘tip of the iceberg’ so to speak,” Senate President Francis Escudero said in a message to reporters when sought for comment on the issue.

“The NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) should investigate further and find the real and other culprits behind this,” he stressed.

Escudero believes suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo was “not the first and will certainly not be the last to fake a birth certificate.”

Guo’s identity has been scrutinized in the Senate after she was linked to illegal  Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos). A Senate probe revealed she was already 19 years old when she registered her birth.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who has been calling for the permanent ban of Pogos, agreed with Escudero.

“Oo, for sure we are just looking at the tip. Ang tingin ko, malalim na problema ito (I think this is a deep-seated problem),” Gatchalian said in an interview.

He believes the local registry in the Davao del Sur town of Sta. Cruz should be held accountable for these falsified birth documents.

READ: Gatchalian bares alleged P300,000 fake birth certificate racket

“So ire-review namin kung sino-sino ang mga local registrar ng Sta Cruz and makikipag ugnayan kami sa PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) rin para makita rin ano pang mga lugar ang may ganitong modus, alam ko meron pa sa Lanao,” Gatchalian said.

(We will review who the local registrars are in Sta. Cruz and coordinate with the PSA to identify other areas with similar issues. I know there are others in Lanao as well.)

“We have to look at the personalities dahil itong birth certificate ‘di na dumadaan sa mayor ito, local registrar pwede na siyang mag-isyu. Ganyan ka-powerful ang local registrar,” he said.

(We have to look at the personalities because birth certificates no longer go through the mayor; local registrars can issue them directly. That’s how powerful local registrars are)

For Sen. Risa Hontiveros,  the discovery of thousands of fake identities “is a clear threat to public order and national security.”

She cited recent investigations in Congress which revealed that criminal groups use fake Filipino citizenships to carry out their illicit activities.

As head of the Senate committee on women, Hontiveros has been leading the probe into criminal activities tied to  Pogos.

“Somewhere out there, someone with a fake identity is trying to buy land, use Philippine passports to give himself or herself a brand new identity, form corporations, and perhaps even have the audacity to run for public office. This has been done before,” she said, an apparent reference to Guo.

“Sino ang mga nagkukunsinti nito? Sino ang mga kasabwat o protektor? Sa Davao del Sur lang ba ito nangyayari o sa buong Pilipinas? We must crack down on Filipinos who have made this possible.”

(Who are the ones enabling this? Who are the accomplices or protectors? Is this only happening in Davao del Sur, or is it occurring throughout the Philippines? We must crack down on Filipinos who have made this possible)

“Walang mabuting kahihinatnan ang pagpapanggap,” Hontiveros added.

(Nothing good will come from pretending.)

Gatchalian and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel were both alarmed by the proliferation of fake birth certificates in the country.

“Alarming report. Dapat meron (There should be a) comprehensive investigation on what happened there. I am sure the good mayor there will help in conducting that investigation,” Pimentel said in a separate message to reporters.

“Talagang kailangang maimbestigahan ito (We really need to investigate this). Alarming, this is very alarming,” Gatchalian said.

NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.