A LAWMAKER raised the alarm about a news report from a national media outlet on Monday alleging government officials in Davao City were involved in the falsification of the birth certificates of Chinese nationals.
“Administration lawmakers yesterday vowed to unmask government officials in Davao City who were behind the alleged scheme of giving Chinese nationals falsified birth certificates for the purpose of applying for a Philippine passport,” the news report reads.
Councilor Temujin Ocampo said at around 1 p.m. the post was already edited from “Davao City” into “Davao del Sur.”
“Kabalo sila nga strikto kaayo ang siyudad, diri sa city registrar ug tanang polisiya nato, maong natingala ko nganong gibutang ang Davao city, wherein fact sa Sta. Cruz man sya gihimo,” Ocampo said.
He added the report insinuates the fabricated documents were made in the city.
“This is very damaging to the city, Davao city man gud, sweeping tanan, ibig sabihin local government ito, investigating the city of Davao, tanan na maapil,” he stressed.
The councilor said there is no longer a need for a resolution since the report was rectified.
Over 1,200 cases of potentially falsified late birth registration documents are under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) XI.
NBI XI director Arcelito Albao said the Civil Registrar’s Office of Sta. Cruz is known for its fast, but expensive processing of late registrations.
This is following the recent arrest of a 21-year-old Chinese national who used a fake birth certificate from Sta. Cruz. The document carried the name Hengson Limosnero, which will be used to apply for a Philippine passport in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office in Davao City.
Ocampo stressed the suspect might be nabbed in the city, however, this does not mean the documents were released in the city.
“The report, though corrected, has a damaging effect on the credibility of our people in local government that has been proven to be credible, efficient, strict, operating with high standards and law-abiding,” Ocampo said in his privilege speech.
