Foreigners with legitimate PHL passports, govt-issued IDS ‘national security concern’
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday sounded the alarm over reports that some unscrupulous foreign nationals are posing as Filipinos by using legitimate government-issued documents, such as Philippine passports, which they obtained using spurious documents and through illegal means.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the scheme should be treated as a “national security concern” and be addressed by all concerned government agencies.
“We see this as a national security concern that should be addressed holistically by all government agencies concerned,” she added.
Sandoval made the statement in reaction to Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers’ appeal to the BI and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to go after the members of the Chinese “mafia” that has reportedly been posing as Filipinos by illegally procuring passports and other identification cards.
The scheme was made public during an investigation by the House Committee on Public Order chaired by Rep. Barbers, on the importation of 530 kilos of shabu.
It was learned during the hearing that the Chinese suspect, Willy Ong, allegedly had legitimate but illegally acquired Philippine passport and driver’s license.
On the other hand, Ong’s accomplices were allegedly able to secure a Filipino birth certificate through the “late registration” process, which was used to obtain a passport and other government-issued identification cards.
“Our officers and agents have intercepted numerous such cases of foreign nationals pretending to be Filipinos by using different Philippine documents,” Sandoval admitted.
Sandoval assured that BI would cooperate and provide data on their previous interceptions, future apprehensions and other information that would be needed in the conduct of an investigation.
The BI official also said that their personnel would continue to implement strict immigration formalities for both arriving and departing foreigners.
Sandoval assured that the agency would also be monitoring the activities of aliens permanently residing and those temporarily staying in the country.
She also encouraged concerned citizens “to report any illegal alien who might be abusing Philippine documents to the BI for investigation, arrest, and deportation.”
On October 17, 2023, the BI arrested five Chinese nationals in separate operations in Palawan for working without proper documents.
One of the suspects was caught in possession of a Philippine driver’s license indicating his nationality as a Filipino.
Prior to this, immigration authorities also arrested a Chinese national for attempting to leave the country using a Philippine passport under a different name and for possessing various government issued identification cards.
The Chinese national identified as Zhou Jintao, 24 years old, was intercepted at the Caticlan International airport in Boracay, Aklan last March 3 after presenting himself before immigration officers using a Philippine passport under the name Jansen Tan.
However, when BI officers questioned him, Zhou was unable to speak Filipino or any local dialect.
Aside from his passport, the BI said the Chinese national was also using a Philippine ID issued for persons with disabilities, a Tax Identification Number (TIN) ID, a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance and a birth certificate indicating that he was born in Sibulan, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur to a Filipino mother and a Chinese father.