Chinese National Obtains Birth Certificate in Bacolod City Without Learning Single Filipino Word
A Chinese national obtained a birth certificate in Bacolod without any knowledge of the Filipino dialect.
Bacolod City Legal Officer Atty. Romeo Carlos Ting, Jr. learned the status of these Chinese nationals after receiving reports that they pay huge amounts, reaching P2 million, to obtain educational degrees illegally and engage in other activities. The incident raised concerns and led to the denial of their passport application.
Atty. Ting supports the statement of Atty. Hermilo Pa-oyon, head of the Civil Registrar, revealed that the said Chinese national acquired the birth certificate in 2019 from the Bacolod City Civil Registrar, with employees involved in the issuance no longer in their positions.
Ting explained that the department’s leadership may face administrative challenges, particularly regarding the issue of “In Good Faith,” should it be proven that employees acted beyond their jurisdiction to facilitate the acquisition.
Last week, a legal team from the central office of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) visited the Civil Registrar to investigate the incident and examine the documents submitted by the Chinese national to obtain birth certificates from two Local Government Units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental.
It was discovered that the Chinese national has been acquiring properties in the province, possibly holding titles to properties that were purchased.
The Bacolod City Legal Office emphasized the need for the PSA to send a formal letter to the Bacolod LGU through Mayor Albee Benitez to initiate an investigation into the issuance of a birth certificate to a foreigner.
The case points out the importance of strict adherence to protocols and verification procedures in government offices to prevent the misuse of official documents and safeguard national interests.
It also emphasized the necessity for comprehensive investigations and collaboration between agencies to address irregularities effectively.
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