Rising number of foreigners with falsified PH documents a ‘national security concern’ —BI

The Bureau of Immigration said the rising number of foreigners with falsified Philippine documents is a “national security concern”.

This was disclosed in an interview with Orly Trinidad in Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday by Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval.

“Matagal na namin itong nire-raise. Nakikita  namin as a national security concern kasi hindi lang po isa ang nahuhuli natin in the past. In the recent years po,10 na yung nahuli natin at ang nakakagulat po last week nakaka tatlo na po tayo ng mga foreign nationals na may hawak na Philippine documents,” Sandoval said. 

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday said it found almost 200 fake birth certificates issued to mostly Chinese nationals by the civil registry in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

“Nakakabahala po kasi tingin po natin national security concern ito kasi sila po ay hindi eligible na maging Filipino at nawawala sila sa purview ng Immigration kapag sila ay naging Filipino na, may hawak po sila na Philippine documents,” Sandoval added.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday shared information from the Chinese community that the price tag for the processing of fake birth certificates, including other government IDs is P300,000.

To address the situation, the BI official said although they are not putting tight restrictions on Philippine passport holders, the agency sees clues with “red flags” that help them intercept these fake “Pinoys”.

She cited recent cases at the airport where persons holding documents that include passports and birth certificates claimed to be home-schooled or had forgotten childhood memories. One person claimed to have no childhood memories despite being asked basic questions by an Immigration officer.

Sandoval said it is challenging to catch these violators since they possess ”layers and layers” of  the necessary Philippine documents that they can show.

She said BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco has strictly ordered individual assessments for all travelers passing through Immigration.

"Hindi po puedeng may taga sagot sila for their travel. Individual po para makita yung kanilang documents mismo at yung matching doon na sinasabi nila,” she said. —RF, GMA Integrated News