Press Release - Opening statement of Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada POGO...

Good morning, Madam Chair.

We have fake Filipino citizens in our midst. These foreigners, mostly Chinese nationals, are able to apply for passports using legitimate government documents which may have been fraudulently obtained.

Using these legitimate documents, they are able to enjoy rights granted to Filipino citizens such as rights to purchase large tracts of land, open businesses, and go in and out of our country.

This issue has caused significant concerns which raises alarm over the integrity of our immigration and citizenship processes.

This is a blatant disrespect of our laws and, as we have proven in the various Senate hearings, has opened the doors to organized crime, money laundering activities amounting to billions of pesos, various scams, other illicit activities that undermine our country's stability and reputation.

Nakapagtataka na napakahigpit ang proseso sa pagkuha ng passport ng ating mga kababayan. Pahirapan pa minsang maghanap ng schedule ng passport appointment at kailangang pumila nang mahaba pagdating sa consular offices; kung papunta naman abroad, hinahanapan pa ng ITR, employment certificate, bank statements, school records, pati pictures sa Facebook inuusisa--para lang kalaunan ay ma-offload.

Paano nakalusot sina Alice Guo alyas Guo Huaping, Shiela Leal Guo, at Cassandra Li Ong palabas ng bansa? There can be no doubt that there are unscrupulous individuals who abetted this patent violation of our Immigration laws.

At ang pinakamalaking tanong para sa akin: Paano pinayagan ng mga local civil registrar ang late registration ng birth certificate na hindi man lang iniimbestigahan ang background ng mga aplikante?

Based on the previous hearings of different committees of this chamber, we have seen how foreigners were able to skirt strict regulations with regard to obtaining official government documents, such as birth certificates and passports.

Also, on the issue of the 10-year passport validity, talagang gamit na gamit ito dahil just imagine, sampung taon silang may "illegal" Filipino identity.

Furthermore, why didn't the Bureau of Immigration immediately arrest Alice Guo or Guo Huaping for violation of Immigration laws for faking her