- LCR officials face rap in Davao del Sur birth certificate scheme
THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) XI is preparing charges against two or three other public officials of Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur for issuing questionable birth certificates to foreign nationals.
The public officials were employed with the Sta. Cruz Local Civil Registrar’s office. Charges against public officers involved are expected to be filed next month, potentially under RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and for falsification of public documents.
During the Davao Peace and Security Press briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, July 17, NBI XI director Arcelito Albao said they are also investigating the possible involvement of five to seven lawyers in the region who notarized the documents.
Albao clarified the birth certificates themselves are authentic but the information contained within them is fabricated. The NBI aims to cancel these birth certificates once sufficient evidence is gathered.
The investigation has uncovered approximately 1,200 allegedly spurious birth certificates from Sta. Cruz. These certificates are linked to non-existent individuals, with fabricated information. The NBI is actively tracing fixers, some believed to be from Manila, and the investigation has expanded beyond Davao to Pampanga.
According to the NBI, each foreign national paid about P300,000 to secure the birth certificate.
While many birth certificates bear Filipino names, the true identities are often Chinese nationals. Some may have gone through legal processes, but many remain questionable.
Locating these individuals has been challenging due to the lack of addresses on the birth certificates. However, barangay captains have certified that most of these individuals do not reside in Davao del Sur.
The NBI believes syndicates are operating this scheme for financial gain and the previous Sta. Cruz civil registrar in charge has been relieved.
NBI Director Albao stressed the credibility of the evidence and expressed concerns that similar schemes may be occurring elsewhere. The agency previously apprehended a Korean national in Zamboanga for a similar offense.
The NBI urges other law enforcement agencies and local government units to scrutinize their civil registrars thoroughly.
He said this scheme poses a significant threat to national security, as individuals with fake birth certificates could potentially gain Filipino citizenship, purchase property, and access identification documents, potentially for illicit activities.
While no high-ranking officials have been directly implicated, the NBI is focusing its investigation on those who signed the birth certificates, as the scheme involves substantial financial transactions.
The NBI is currently expanding its investigation to include other local civil registrars in various regions.
