The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines recently filed 66 charges against four public officials in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, for crimes including forgery of public documents, corruption, perjury, and violation of the Civil Registration Law. These officials are suspected of illegally issuing fake birth certificates to Chinese citizens, sparking widespread social concern.
Archie Albao, the director of NBI's Davao branch, revealed that the investigation found that at least 1,576 fake birth certificates were issued from 2016 to 2023, often through "delayed registration" methods. Investigators are still tracing related records and expect to uncover more similar cases.
The indicted public officials include former civil registrar Mario Tizon and his three subordinates, who NBI accuses of directly signing these false documents. Additionally, NBI has also sued seven Chinese citizens whose registration addresses are in Sta. Cruz but actually reside in Metro Manila and the Visayas region, showing that the case's impact extends beyond the local area.
Albao further pointed out that some local government units (LGUs) might also be involved in the scandal. However, as the investigation is ongoing, he did not disclose which specific local government agencies are involved, only indicating that more public officials might be implicated in the future.
This exposure of the fake birth certificate scandal is related to the "Alice Guo incident" that shook Philippine politics in July 2024. Alice Guo is suspected of using the "delayed birth registration" method to obtain Filipino citizenship and ran for mayor of Bamban, Tarlac in 2022, which subsequently triggered a nationwide review of the birth registration system.
As the NBI investigation deepens, more individuals involved may be revealed. This incident not only exposes severe loopholes in the civil registration system but also brings the corruption issues of Philippine government agencies back into the spotlight. Whether the government will further strengthen regulations to close legal and administrative loopholes remains a focus of public attention.
