BI: Foreigners may misuse late birth cert reg for citizenship

Foreigners securing Philippine citizenship through late birth certificate registration may be a systemic issue, according to the Bureau of Immigration.

Joseph Sy, a mining executive accused of using fake documents for citizenship, was arrested by BI agents and is suspected of obtaining his citizenship through late birth certificate registration, similar to detained former Bamban mayor Alice Guo.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval told dzMM that there might be problems with how these birth certificates are issued, especially in cases of late registration.

Sandoval noted that Sy has complete Philippine documents and warned about the potential misuse of such documents for espionage or criminal activities.

Sy is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa pending deportation while BI awaits cases to be filed against him.

The BI is coordinating with other state agencies following allegations by Sen. Panfilo Lacson that many Chinese sleeper agents are embedded in the Philippines.