The proposed Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law (HB 11117) was created following a House inquiry into illegal drug operations and POGO-related offenses.
The House Committee on Population and Family Relations gave its preliminary approval, subject to modification, to a legislation that would create an administrative procedure to quickly revoke birth certificates that have been unlawfully obtained by foreign nationals.
Following a House of Representatives select committee inquiry into illegal drug operations and offenses related to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the proposed Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law (House Bill 11117) was created.
Bienvenido Abante Jr., Manila Rep. and chairperson of the quad committee, emphasized in an interview the significance of the legislation in combating the usage of counterfeit documents.
Abante was quoted as saying in a PNA report, “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. E, ‘di naman sila pinanganak dito, taga-China naman sila (Because in the Quad Comm, we saw so many Chinese who obtained passports, and the only way for them to have an official passport would be if they had official legal certificates, like birth certificates. But they weren’t born here, they’re from China).”
The bill would address fraudulent methods that allow foreigners to obtain Philippine birth certificates, giving them access to opportunities that are only available to Filipino citizens, and making it easier for them to engage in illicit activities, according to Abante.
He was hopeful that the bill would be passed quickly before the end of the 19th Congress.
From investigations conducted by the quad committee, it was revealed that there were over 1,200 fake birth certificates that were issued by local civil registrars to foreign nationals.
These fake birth certificates were used to purchase property in the Philippines and establish businesses.
The proposed measure calls for the creation of a Special Committee on the Cancellation of Fraudulent Birth Certificates, which would be led by the Registrar General of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The committee would also include representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and the Interior and Local Government, as well as the Office of the Solicitor General.
This committee would be responsible for investigating complaints, issuing subpoenas, and making determinations on cases involving fraudulent birth certificates within a 30-day period, based on the evidence presented.
Complaints could be filed by any legal-age citizen or law enforcement agency, provided they include specific details, such as the name of the foreign national, information about the fraudulent birth certificate, and the circumstances surrounding its acquisition.
The foreign national implicated in the complaint would have 15 days to respond, after which the committee would conduct hearings and issue decisions based on the evidence.
Decisions made by the committee would take immediate effect but could be appealed to the Office of the President.
The bill also stipulates penalties for both public officials and private individuals found to be involved in facilitating the fraudulent registration of birth certificates.
Read related article: Stricter Laws on Immigration, Money Laundering After POGO Probe
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