By Junex Doronio
MANILA — The House Committee on Population and Family Relations approved in principle on Wednesday (04 Dec 2024) subject to refinement, a bill that establishes an administrative process for swiftly canceling birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals.
House Bill (HB) No. 11117, or the “Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law,” specifically targets foreign nationals implicated in illegal drug operations and crimes associated with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
The bill was crafted following revelations from House Quad Committee hearings that thousands of foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, had fraudulently obtained Philippine birth certificates to acquire passports and other official documents.
In an interview, Quad Committee Co-Chair Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. highlighted the necessity of the bill in addressing the misuse of fraudulent documents.
“Kasi sa Quad Comm nakita namin ang napakaraming mga Chinese na nakakuha ng passport, and the only way for them to have an official passport would be that they would have officially legal certificates, birth certificates. Eh ‘di naman sila pinanganak dito, taga-China naman sila,” Abante said.
He explained that the measure seeks to curb schemes that enable foreigners to secure Philippine birth certificates, granting them access to rights and opportunities reserved for Filipino citizens while facilitating involvement in illegal activities.
Abante expressed optimism for the bill’s approval before the 19th Congress concludes. “Hopefully yes, yes, sapagkat this is a very important bill that ought to be approved,” he said.
The legislation was prompted by the Quad Committee’s investigation into the issuance of falsified birth certificates. Lawmakers disclosed that in Davao del Sur alone, over 1,200 fraudulent birth certificates had been issued by local civil registrars.
“These foreigners must have gotten aid from public officers from local civil registry offices to secure such falsified birth certificates for consideration,” the bill’s explanatory note stated.
The proposed law includes penalties for public officials and private individuals involved in facilitating fraudulent registrations.
HB 11117 is co-authored by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-Jay” Suarez, and Quad Committee Chairs Robert Ace Barbers, Dan Fernandez, Abante, and Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano. Other authors include Reps. Johnny Ty Pimentel, Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Rodge Gutierrez, Francisco Paolo Ortega V, Jay Khonghun, Jonathan Keith Flores, Jil Bongalon, Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles, Ernesto Dionisio Jr., Joel Chua, Zia Alonto Adiong, Lordan Suan, and Cheeno Miguel Almario.
“A birth certificate is the most basic document a Filipino citizen must have. It is a document that provides the imprimatur of the State that an individual is a Filipino and opens to the individual vast opportunities unavailable to foreigners,” the bill’s authors emphasized in their explanatory note.
Legislators argued that fraudulent documents enable foreign nationals to engage in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and money laundering, posing significant risks to national security.
“This sad state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue,” the authors declared.
By introducing a streamlined administrative process, the bill aims to safeguard the integrity of Filipino citizenship and prevent abuses of the system.
“It is time to put an end to these unlawful activities,” the authors stressed. “Being a Filipino is something that we should always honor and zealously protect.”
The committee’s approval marks a significant step toward enacting the measure, which advocates say is crucial for protecting the nation’s legal and social systems.
ia/mnm