Philippines’ Senator Sherwin Gatchalian raised alarms about potential infiltration of criminal syndicates within key government agencies.
This statement follows a recent raid on a travel and consultancy firm in Manila, which allegedly facilitated the production of bogus Philippine government documents, The Philippine News Agency reported.
The raid, conducted by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Wednesday, uncovered various fraudulent documents, including birth and marriage certificates, as well as a passport featuring a foreign national’s photo alongside a Filipino name.
Gatchalian emphasized the gravity of the situation, suggesting that agencies such as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Bureau of Immigration, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) may have been compromised. “This incident reinforces our fears regarding the infiltration of these agencies by criminal elements,” he stated.
The senator has proposed legislation aimed at enhancing the authority of the PSA and imposing stricter penalties on civil registrars involved in fraudulent activities. He also urged law enforcement to strengthen their efforts in dismantling these illegal operations.
Reports have emerged of individuals being extorted by the travel agency, with one complainant alleging she paid PHP900,000 ($15,500) to secure her fiancé’s release, while another spent PHP1.1 million ($18,945) for her husband’s freedom following a January 17 raid at a Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) center in Parañaque City.
During a press conference, PAOCC Executive Director Gilberto Cruz described the travel agency as a crucial element in the ongoing Senate investigation into POGOs. He revealed that the firm was instrumental in helping foreign nationals acquire government-issued documents, thereby enabling them to remain in the country amid ongoing crackdowns.
In addition to document forgery, Cruz pointed out that staff at the travel agency had impersonated PAOCC officials to extort funds, although he clarified that no actual PAOCC members were involved in these activities.
