Lawmakers seek inquiry into fake Philippine passports

MANILA, Philippines — Administration lawmakers yesterday vowed to unmask government officials in Davao del Sur who were behind the alleged scheme of giving Chinese nationals falsified birth certificates for the purpose of applying for a Philippine passport.

“We need to strengthen our legislative framework to ensure that rigorous verification processes are in place for the issuance of birth certificates,” Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario said.

“A birth certificate is more than just a document; it symbolizes a Filipino’s connection to the country. It is the first official document that all Filipinos receive as their birthright, establishing their official tie to the nation. This is not something that can be easily given, fabricated, milled or bought. Filipinos are not for sale. There should be no fake Pinoys,” Almario added.

The National Bureau of Investigation in Davao, led by Archie Albao, disclosed that Hengson Lemosnero, originally identified by the NBI as “Hanlin Qiu,” was apprehended at the Department of Foreign Affairs office in Ecoland after applying for Philippine passport using a fake birth certificate.

Lemosnero was one of the 200 Chinese nationals who acquired falsified birth certificates from the municipal civil registry of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

“We are outraged by these reports. What enrages us here, and is, at the same time, saddening, is that these Chinese nationals may have links with criminal and drug syndicates, that’s why they were issued spurious birth certificates,” said Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun.

“They probably also found the easiest route to secure spurious documents to conceal their true identities and citizenship to continue their nefarious activities here in the country. This is why Congress has to investigate this,” Khonghun added.

Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, who has also called for an inquiry, would like to know if these Chinese nationals had a backer that emboldened them to “make a mockery of the sanctity of the country’s birth certificate.”

“This discovery is not only unacceptable, but an outright affront to our national security and sovereignty,” Adiong said.

“The issuance of falsified birth certificates to foreign nationals compromises the integrity of our civil registration system, undermines the trust of the Filipino people and poses a significant threat to national security,” he stressed. 

For Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon, the fraudulent activity is “particularly disheartening.”

“It raises serious questions about the safeguards in place within our local civil registries and highlights the urgent need for stricter oversight and accountability measures,” Bongalon said. 

“The procurement of valid birth certificates must be fortified to prevent any exploitation by foreign infiltrators. Birth certificates are foundational documents that grant access to a range of rights and privileges, including citizenship, education and employment,” he explained.

Allowing foreign nationals to illegitimately obtain these documents “undermines the very fabric of our nation,” according to the lawmaker-lawyer.

Vigilance

Following this development, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo urged vigilance in protecting the integrity of Philippine passports.

The Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) held a Consular Offices Consultation Meeting and Information and Briefing Session on Republic Act 11983, known as the new Philippine Passport Law, and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

The meeting gathered all heads of the 39 consular offices across the country. 

DFA-OCA Assistant Secretary Adelio Angelito Cruz introduced a video message from Manalo emphasizing the legislative milestone represented by the implementation of the New Passport Law.

Manalo commended the members of the Consular Affairs team for their dedication and professionalism.

DFA-OCA Passport Division acting director Von Ryan Pangwi and Assistant Director Charlie Florian Prenicolas led discussions and briefings on the New Passport Law’s IRR, along with recent developments affecting consular services.

DFA-OCA convened the two-day meeting to enhance collaboration and address key concerns in the New Passport Law, aiming to streamline passport policies across all consular offices for consistent alignment of the DFA’s procedures.

The meetings also gathered recommendations and inputs from heads of consular offices to standardize passport processing guidelines and develop a localized communication plan on the standardized guidelines to ensure a unified approach.

Meanwhile, Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval admitted that the increasing number of foreigners with falsified Philippine documents is a “national security concern.”

In an interview over dzBB radio, Sandoval said that they have long raised their concern about the situation after they apprehended more than one foreigner with false Philippine documents.

“In recent years, there have been 10 apprehensions, and what is surprising is that last week we caught three foreign nationals with Philippine documents,” she added. — Pia Lee-Brago, Evelyn Macairan