1,200 fake birth certificates for Chinese nationals uncovered in Santa Cruz

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – It’s not just Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping who is involved in falsifying birth certificates to stay in the Philippines.

The National Bureau of Investigation 11 (NBI 11) has uncovered a large-scale scheme of fake birth certificates in the municipality of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur that produced up to 1,200 documents.

NBI 11 Director Arcelito Albao revealed during the AFP-PNP Press conference, the number of questionable birth certificates under investigation has surged from 200 last week to 1,200,

The registrations were made from 2016 to 2021, obtained mostly by Chinese nationals through late birth registration to establish false identities and legal residency in the country for different purposes.

Albao said the foreigners adopted a Filipino name and provided birth information that did not match their other documents such as the incomplete address of their barangay. The NBI sought barangay captains who disputed the foreigners’ residency in their villages.

Santa Cruz is the oldest town in Davao del Sur. It is a first-class municipality located in the coastal area of the province, with a population of 101,125 people based on the 2020 census, and its economy is based on agriculture and fisheries.

This issue surfaced when a Chinese national, Qui Hualin, was apprehended over a week ago when he applied for a passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Davao City. 

The 21-year-old drew suspicion from DFA personnel who alerted the NBI, as he brought a birth certificate and driver’s license claiming the identity of “Hengson Jabilles Limosnero” with an address in Barangay Inawayan, Davao del Sur, but could only speak English, and not Bisaya or Filipino.

Albano said they are tracking the fixers involved in this fraud. He said most of the documents processed in Santa Cruz come from Manila and Pampanga. 

They are also looking for the possibility of some employees of the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) of Sta. Cruz is involved in the scheme.

The issue of fake birth certificates caught headlines when Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo was revealed in a Senate probe on Philippine Online Gaming Operations (POGO) to have obtained a fraudulent birth certificate.  She is now facing arrest and removal from her government post for falsifying her identity.

Santa Cruz Mayor Jose Nelson Sala Sr. issued a statement on Monday, July 15 saying they will cooperate with the NBI investigation adding that they are also conducting their investigation into the scheme.

“We do not tolerate this kind of illegal transaction under my administration. In fact, we are already conducting our own fact-finding investigation and that initial actions were already made concerning those involved personnel ever since this issue has surfaced,” the mayor said. (davaotoday.com)