Probe on how foreigners get Philippine government IDs sought

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Tolentino supports Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s call to investigate how Chinese, Korean and Thai nationals secured passports and other government-issued identification cards after immigration officials and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) intercepted more than a dozen Philippine passport holders who are “obviously not Filipinos.”

“I agree to investigate. I think there are many more. I wouldn’t be surprised if voter’s ID and driver’s license were obtained, there should be an investigation,” Tolentino said in Filipino in an interview over radio dzBB.

Zubiri said the Senate Blue Ribbon committee and public order and dangerous drugs committee can lead the investigation on the issue.

During plenary deliberations on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ 2024 budget on Nov. 9, Zubiri called for an investigation after Sen. Ronald dela Rosa revealed the scheme in which foreigners were able to secure documents from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), civil registrars and other government agencies.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III earlier said that PSA officials would be summoned by the Senate after the approval of their budget was withdrawn following allegations that PSA granted foreigners with birth certificates, allowing them to obtain Philippine passports.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission also learned earlier that a group is providing authentic Philippine government IDs to foreigners working at Philippine offshore gaming operators.

Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, noted that it is an issue of national security as foreigners could even secure gun permits.

“That is scary, not just bordering on national security concern but also the resources for our countrymen. There are many implications, there are many concerns,” he said.

The investigation might be held late as the Senate is currently deliberating on the proposed P5.768-trillion 2024 national budget.

Zubiri said they are hoping to approve the budget by the first week of December.

He added that his office received a report from the NBI revealing that a group of Chinese nationals were able to secure birth certificates from a civil registrar in a Caraga town which he did not identify.