Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson has called for a formal inquiry into alleged systemic corruption within the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) after an audit uncovered tens of thousands of suspicious civil registry entries.
Under Senate Resolution No. 381, Lacson highlighted a nationwide algorithmic audit of late registration records from 2010 to 2023. The investigation flagged 50,532 records across 1,634 local civil registry offices (LCROs) as potentially fraudulent.
“The LCROs of Pikit and Aleosan in North Cotabato were identified among those prioritized for investigation, having topped the list of the most problematic LCROs, with findings indicating weak oversight of records, as evidenced by the civil registry books of LCRO Pikit last being updated in 2015 and those of LCRO Aleosan only in January 2023,” the resolution stated.
A joint probe by the PSA and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reportedly revealed a syndicate specializing in providing fictitious identities to foreign nationals, primarily Chinese citizens.
These individuals allegedly obtained Philippine identities through the exploitation of the late registration system using falsified notarizations and forged documents.
Lacson further noted reports of similar fraudulent activities surfacing in Davao City, Pampanga, and Puerto Princesa. The Senator warned that the sheer volume of compromised records threatens the very foundation of national security and legal documentation.
“The fact that there are 50,532 records flagged as potentially fraudulent registrations in our national civil registry calls into question the system’s integrity and reliability in authenticating citizenship, with far-reaching implications for passport issuance, PhilSys enrollment, electoral registration, and the administration of civil rights,” Lacson said.