Lawmakers pledged yesterday to uncover officials in Davao City responsible for allegedly providing Chinese nationals with fabricated birth certificates to secure Philippine passports.
Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario emphasized the need to fortify legislative measures ensuring rigorous verification processes for birth certificate issuance.
“A birth certificate symbolizes a Filipino’s connection to the country, not a document to be fabricated or purchased. Filipinos are not commodities,” Almario asserted.
The National Bureau of Investigation in Davao, led by Archie Albao, disclosed the arrest of Hengson Lemosnero, alias “Hanlin Qiu,” caught applying for a passport with a fake birth certificate obtained from Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
“We are outraged by these reports. These Chinese nationals might have ties to criminal syndicates, obtaining fake documents to conceal identities and perpetrate illegal activities,” stated Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun.
Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong echoed calls for an inquiry into potential backers aiding the subversion of Philippine birth certificates.
“This discovery threatens national security and sovereignty,” Adiong emphasized.
Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon called for heightened oversight and stricter measures within civil registries to prevent exploitation by foreign entities.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo stressed vigilance in safeguarding passport integrity amidst the ongoing investigations.
The Department of Foreign Affairs convened a consultation to discuss the implementation of the New Passport Law, aiming for consistent procedures across consular offices.
Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval flagged the rising concern over foreigners using falsified Philippine documents, labeling it a national security issue.
In response to these developments, legislative actions and enhanced oversight are poised to strengthen the protection of Philippine birth certificates and passport integrity.
