By Filane Mikee Cervantes | Philippine News Agency
Leaders of the House Quad-Committee (Quad-Comm) on Wednesday filed a bill expediting the cancellation of birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals, including those linked to illegal activities such as drug trafficking and other criminal activities associated with Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
Quad-Comm chair Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers led the filing of House Bill (HB) 11117, otherwise known as the “Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law,” which proposes a streamlined administrative process to address the issue, bypassing the years-long judicial process currently required.
Other authors of the bill include Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David Suarez, Quad-Comm co-chairs Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., Sta. Rosa City, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez and Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and vice-chair Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop.
Barbers said such fraudulent documents allow foreign nationals to engage in crimes such as illegal drugs, money laundering, and human trafficking.
“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.
Under the measure, a Special Committee on Cancellation of Fraudulent Birth Certificates shall be created, chaired by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Registrar General, with members from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Justice, and the Office of the Solicitor General.
The committee would be tasked to investigate complaints, issue subpoenas, and decide on cases of fraudulent birth certificates within 30 days based on evidence.
Complaints can be filed by any legal-age citizen or law enforcement agency and must include specific evidence, such as the name of the foreign national, the fraudulent birth certificate’s details, and the circumstances of its acquisition.
Reinforcing PH stance against unwanted aliens following POGO ban
The foreign national would have 15 days to respond to the complaint, after which the committee would conduct hearings and decide based on substantial evidence.
Decisions would be immediately executory, though appealable to the Office of the President.
Under the bill, public officials and private individuals found facilitating such fraudulent registrations would also face penalties.
“It is time to put an end to these unlawful activities,” the authors said.
The bill is part of a series of legislative measures stemming from the Quad-Comm’s investigation into criminal activities linked to POGOs.
In October, the mega-panel filed HB 10987 to enforce a nationwide ban on offshore gaming, citing its links to money laundering, human trafficking, and other crimes.
Earlier this month, lawmakers introduced HB 11043, or the “Civil Forfeiture Act,” to authorize the government to seize unlawfully acquired real estate.
The Quad-Comm has also referred documents to the Office of the Solicitor General to pursue legal actions against Chinese nationals accused of using fraudulent Filipino citizenship to acquire land and establish businesses.
“This sad state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue,” the lawmakers said, stressing the need to protect the integrity of Filipino citizenship.