Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Thursday, September 15 urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to look into reports of foreign nationals who have been using the identities of deceased persons to secure government-issued identification cards in the Philippines.

Ejercito raised the issue during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on the recent spate of kidnappings and disappearances across the country.

The senator said he hopes the PNP will ramp up its operations against these criminal activities.

“PNP, please take note of that. We will confirm pero alam ko na nangyayari ‘to. Marami nang mga foreign nationals, in particular, mga mainland Chinese na pumasok dito (this is happening. There are many foreign nationals, in particular, from mainland China that were allowed to enter here) who are using identities of dead persons so that they can avail of rights and be considered as Filipino citizens,” he said.

Fortunato Manahan Jr., OIC deputy commissioner at the Bureau of Immigration (BI), confirmed Ejercito’s claims saying they have deported a number of foreign nationals for using fraudulent passports, birth certificates, and marriage certificates.

Manahan said: “May mga (there are) cases and incidents po kaming naiintercept sa (that we intercept in the) airports and in the community. Napapadeport po namin ang mga ‘yon (We are able to deport them).”

Ejercito earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 194, asking the Senate panel to investigate the “alarming cases” of kidnapping, abduction and disappearances, especially those against women, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers, and Filipino-Chinese individuals.

The senator raised the alleged kidnapping of a Chinese national in broad daylight along the Skyway elevated highway and the documented torture of a male victim whose ear was cut off.

“Definitely, peace and order situation is the biggest factor in having a climate conducive for business to grow for us to be able to rebuild the economy after the pandemic,” Ejercito said.

“Kailangan po maganda ang (We need to have a better) peace and order situation. Ngayon pa lang tayo nakakabuwelo (We are just gaining momentum) after the two years of lockdown in the pandemic,” he said.

“We have to verify the authenticity of these videos so that we can attack the problems already head on and not cause panic sa ating mamamayan at business sector,” he added.