OSG working to cancel thousands of fraudulent birth certificates

Metro Manila, Philippines – The government is actively pursuing legal action to cancel thousands of birth certificates illegally obtained by foreign nationals, in particular those involved in offshore gaming and other illicit activities, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said.

The top government lawyer said it is enjoining congressional support to fasttrack the process by passing a law that would allow the administrative cancellation of fraudulent birth certificates rather than going through the judicial process

“The government will also institute measures to prevent the repetition of this unlawful scheme, often carried out with the collusion of local government offices and personnel, and hold all responsible parties accountable,” said Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra in a text message to NewsWatch Plus.

He said a new law would “make the process faster, more efficient, and cost-effective, and to resolve as many cases as possible.”

The OSG has not disclosed the exact number of cancelled birth certificates, but Guevarra said cases involving documents related to the now-outlawed Philippine offshore gaming operation (POGO) are pending in courts.

“We have requested the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to provide the OSG with the necessary supporting documents for filing the appropriate complaints. So far, we’ve only received a list of names, mostly of Chinese nationals, who acquired their birth certificates from a single civil registry office in Davao del Sur,” Guevarra said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who led a series of Senate investigations on POGO-related crimes, welcomed the OSG efforts.

“Sigurado ako na meron pa diyang mga dayuhan na ginagamit ang Philippine birth certificate sa maling paraan, kaya sana maiging matukoy na sila at maparusahan sa batas. Let us be vigilant about the efforts of POGO criminals to obtain Philippine citizenship by whatever means,” she said in a statement on Thursday, Jan. 2.

[Translation: “I am sure there are still foreigners who are using Philippine birth certificates for fraudulent purposes, so I hope they can be identified and punished according to the law. Let us be vigilant about the efforts of POGO criminals to obtain Philippine citizenship by any means.]