National Bureau of Investigation 11 (NBI 11) Director Arcelito Albao bared on Wednesday that up to 1,200 foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals, obtained Philippine birth certificates through late birth registration at the Local Civil Registry (LCR) office in the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur since 2016.
Albao clarified that these birth certificates, which were recorded from 2016 to 2021, were authentic but the given information were reportedly fabricated.
“Yun ang peke ang mga informations na sinulat doon sa birth certificates. They are Chinese nationals,” Albao said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.
Albao said among the reasons for these Chinese nationals acquiring spurious Philippine birth certificates is for them to easily acquire properties in the Philippines.
Albao said NBI can cancel these certificates when the evidence is complete.
He said NBI Davao is still collecting evidences submitted by LCR of Sta. Cruz.
“Puede nato na ipa-cancel pag kompleto na ang mga ebidensya dahil hindi pa tapos nagsubmit ng records ang LCR ng Sta. Cruz. We are requesting records from 2016 backwards and beyond 2021,” Albao said.
He also said that an employee of LCR Sta. Cruz was already dismissed.
He added a clerk said to be involved in the falsification will be included in the filing of the case.
He said these employees will be facing charges Republic Act 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and falsification of public documents under the Revise Penal Code.
Albao also said five to seven lawyers from Davao Region, who notarized the birth certificates, are currently under investigation.
“Ang nagnotaryo ha. But naa may uban ini nga di ta kabalo apil ba sila ini diba kay dako ang gibayad,” he said.
He said cases maybe filed next month.
It can be recalled that NBI-Southern Mindanao Region (SEMRO) apprehended a Chinese national who was trying to apply for a Philippine passport using a fake birth certificate at the Department of Foreign Affairs office in Ecoland, Davao City last week.
Using the name Hengson Lemosnero, the Chinese national was later identified as Hanlin Qiu by NBI-SEMRO.
Qiu is one of the Chinese nationals who acquired falsified birth certificates from the LCR of Sta. Cruz.
