Municipal Mayor Jose Nelson Z. Sala Sr. of Sta. Cruz said in an official statement released on July 11, 2024, that as of the statement’s release, they had not yet received any official information or complete details from NBI-Semro regarding the apprehension of Hengson Jabilles Limosnero, a 21-year-old Chinese national, for using a falsified birth certificate when applying for a Philippine passport at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Davao office.
“Be it known that we are committed to cooperate with their investigation in as much as our local civil registry records are concerned,” Sala wrote in the statement.
Sala mentioned that the LGU of Sta. Cruz is already conducting its own fact-finding investigation and has taken initial actions regarding the personnel involved.
“We do not tolerate this kind of illegal transaction under my administration,” she said.
NBI-Semro Regional Director lawyer Arcelito Albao reported during a press conference on July 10, 2024, at NBI-Semro office that the LCR office of Sta. Cruz has the highest number of falsified birth certificates among the areas identified in the Davao Region, with nearly 200 falsified birth certificates of Chinese nationals registered from 2018 to 2019.
An initial investigation by the NBI revealed that Limosnero’s late registration was filed in 2013.
In response, Mayor Sala expressed his support for the NBI-Semro and other national government agencies conducting the investigation.
“This will also help our own investigation in curbing the proliferation of spurious birth certificates in our municipality,” he said.
Sala assured the public that the Sta. Cruz LGU is committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that it will prevail and that its workforce is observing appropriate regulations and standards in the performance of its functions.
“Those who will be found involved with these illegal transactions will certainly be subjected to appropriate administrative actions,” he said.
During the press conference, the NBI requested the LCR of Sta. Cruz to provide a list of required documents for late registration applications. Charles Lj Sido, Silliman University Intern
