Legarda calls for immediate action against syndicate behind the issuance of fraudulent Philippine passports and birth certificates

Senator Loren Legarda strongly urged government agencies on Monday to uncover and take action against the purported syndicate responsible for the issuance of fraudulent Philippine passports and birth certificates following the recent Senate hearing involving Alice Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping.

“Tapatin mo kami. Sino ang nagbigay ng Philippine passport mo? Who issued your birth certificate? Sabihin mo kung paano ka naging Pilipino. If you answer us properly, then we can help you. But if you keep lying, you will sink into the web of lies, and we won’t be able to protect you,” Legarda asserted.

Alice Guo, recently arrested in Indonesia, was brought to the Senate for questioning regarding her alleged involvement in various illegal activities. Despite evidence from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) revealing that she and Guo Hua Ping are the same person after a match of their fingerprints, she refused to fully cooperate and testify truthfully, citing death threats and insisting on her Filipino identity, which led to the Committee to cite her in contempt.

The Senator further stressed the need to identify the individuals or groups—either from within government agencies or external fixers—responsible for aiding Alice Guo in obtaining fraudulent documents.

“Ang kailangan lang nating malaman ay sino sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno o fixers ang tumulong sa kanya para makakuha ng birth certificate at passport,” Legarda stated.

With over a thousand cases of fraudulent birth certificates confirmed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), including the case of Alice Guo or Guo Hua Ping, Legarda raised serious concerns that government agencies such as the PSA and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have been infiltrated by syndicates, compromising national security.

In March, she filed Senate Resolution No. 974, urging the Senate to inquire into the reported schemes of foreign nationals illegally obtaining Philippine government documents. (30)