NSC: Some local civil registrars involved in issuance of birth certificates to foreigners

Some corrupt local civil registrars are involved in the issuance of birth certificates to foreign nationals which enabled them to get Philippine passports, National Security Council Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya said Thursday,

"Allegedly, based on intelligence reports, some local civil registrars na nakatalaga sa mga LGU (local government unit) kung saan nababayaran sila,” he said in PTV-4’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. 

(“Allegedly, based on intelligence reports, some local civil registrars in LGUs are involved in corruption.) 

“Itong mga corrupt public officials na ito ay sila ay nag-iissue ng mga pekeng birth certificate na siyang pinapadala sa Philippine Statistics Authority  (PSA) at 'pag nakarecord na po 'yan sa PSA pwede nang humingi ng PSA-certified copy of a birth certificate which can then lead to a passport which can then lead to many other documents like national ID,” he said. 

(The corrupt public officials issue fake birth certificates that are sent to the PSA. When they already have a record, the foreigners may now request a PSA-certified copy of a birth certificate which can then lead to a passport which can then lead to many other documents like national ID.)

Malaya said the NSC considers this as a threat to national security.

“We consider this a national security threat because ‘pag nakakuha na po sila ng birth certificate eh makakakuha sila ng passport, makakakuha na sila ng national ID so parang regular na Pilipno na sila,” said Malaya. 

(We consider this a national security threat because once they are able to get a birth certificate, they will be able to secure a passport, they can also get a national ID. Effectively, they will like regular Filipino citizens.)

Most of the foreigners availing the service were Chinese nationals who were not born in the Philippines, do not have a Filipino parent, and not entitled to the government document.

Senators on Monday urged the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and the NSC to look into how official government IDs and documents were allegedly issued to foreigners.

“Makakaasa po ang Senado na hindi po titigil ang NSC together with the National Bureau of Investigation and the PSA hangga't di matigil ang modus operandi na ito,” he said. 

(We assure senators that the NSC, NBI, and PSA will not stop until we eradicate this modus operandi.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News