Go deeper into investigation of fraudulent birth certificates

News of fraudulent birth certificates issued to foreign nationals by local registry offices has unveiled a significant breach in the Philippines' civil registration system.

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On March 22, 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reported the filing of charges against four employees of the local registry office of Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur for allegedly issuing fake birth certificates to Chinese nationals. An NBI report said "at least 1,576 fake birth certificates were issued through late registration from 2018, 2019 and 2021." Lawmakers have called for a deeper investigation into this as they believe that there is a broader network that supports the illegal acts, which they have called "treason." The counterfeit documents enables foreigners to acquire --Philippine passports, assume Filipino identities, engage in business transactions, and even pursue public office. This exploitation not only undermines national security but also erodes the integrity of our legal and political institutions.