Citing possible espionage efforts by another country in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla on Wednesday, Sept. 11, stressed the need for a full-blown investigation over the problem of aliens illegally acquiring Philippine documents including passports.

 “Simula pa lang sinasabi ko na talaga sa mga discussions namin na may national security implication talaga ang mga problema ng fake passports and mga aliens who get hold of Filipino identity documents (From the start, I have been saying during our discussions that the problem of fake passports and aliens getting Philippine identity documents has national security implication),” Remulla said during a press briefing.

While saying the efforts of aliens getting Philippine documents may be part of espionage, Remulla did not mention the name of the country that may be involved. 

Remulla admitted that this could be part of espionage efforts of another state against the Philippines.

 “We cannot conclude anything right now unless we conduct a full investigation into the matter,” he stressed. 

 “Of course it’s not to say that the NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) and the National Security Adviser are not moving on this case right now. I’m sure they are conducting their own investigation,” he added.

Meanwhile, on arguments as to where dismissed Mayor Alice L. Guo of Bamban, Tarlac should be detained, the DOJ chief expressed belief that she should be detained with the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

 “To be fair to everybody kung meron talagang magdetain kay Alice Guo (the agency that should detain Guo) it should be the Bureau of Immigration kasi (because) an immigration case take precedence over everthing,” he said.

Remulla reminded that Guo, despite being an illegal Chinese immigrant, has acquired and used a Philippine passport. 

“An immigration case takes precedence over everything. In fact, non bailable ang immigration case,” he said.

 The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has already filed a graft case against Guo before the Tarlac Regional Trial Court (RTC) while she has pending complaints before the DOJ that included qualified trafficking persons, money laundering, and tax evasion.

Among the pending complaints before the DOJ, the qualified trafficking in persons charge has already been submitted for resolution following the conduct of a preliminary investigation.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony D. Fadullon said “within the week the resolution will be out already.”