Zia Alonto Adiong, the Majority Party Leader Assistant of the Philippine Congress and Representative of Lanao del Sur, stated that the arrest of four civil registry office staff in Davao del Sur for allegedly forging birth certificates for Chinese citizens might be just a part of a larger illegal network. He called for a nationwide investigation to fully expose the underlying corrupt system.
Adiong noted that while the arrests are a good start, the investigation should not be limited to just this office. He emphasized, "Such criminal activities cannot operate over the long term without broader organizational support. The scope of the investigation must be expanded, especially in regions where there has been a significant influx of Chinese nationals during Duterte's administration."
According to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) report, the suspects are accused of forging Philippine birth certificates, allowing some Chinese nationals to apply for passports and thereby obtain legal work qualifications. The suspects have now been charged with forgery and cybercrime.
Adiong sternly condemned this, stating: "Any Filipino who assists foreigners, especially citizens from a country infringing on our sovereignty, in creating false identities, is betraying the nation. This is not just a corruption issue but a serious threat to national security."
Adiong further urged the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to thoroughly investigate all birth certificates issued in the past decade in areas with high Chinese immigrant populations to prevent further illegal activities.
He warned, "The Philippines is striving to defend its sovereignty and national interests, but Chinese nationals are quietly infiltrating through forged birth certificates. Those who facilitate this behavior are not innocent but are threats to national security."
The relevant departments have now initiated further investigations to determine if a more extensive criminal network exists and have promised to take strict measures to prevent similar cases from occurring again.
