Dwayne Pelagio

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) made its first move of the year as it seeks to seize Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) properties and cancel fraudulent birth certificates.

Photo Courtesy of Inquirer.net

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said in an interview on Jan. 1 that it is part of the OSG’s post-Pogo responsibilities to cancel the birth certificates and Pogo assets that have been acquired illegally in the country.

“The OSG’s massive post-POGO tasks will consist of cancelling all certificates of birth fraudulently acquired by aliens [or] foreign nationals and forfeiting their illegally acquired real properties and other assets in the Philippines,” Guevarra said in the interview.

When asked about the assets subject to sequestration and forfeiture, the solicitor general said that they  have no definite figures on the aggregate value of these assets.

“It is the first order of the day to take possession and control over the properties,” Guevarra added.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered all Pogos in the country by Dec. 31 according to Executive Order no. 74.

The cancellation of fraudulent birth certificates was raised after the National Bureau of Investigation bared “close to 200 fake birth certificates” in July that were issued to Chinese nationals by the civil registry of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also requested the OSG to cancel 1,500 alleged fraudulent birth certificates issued to foreigners.

The House Quad committee also turned over on Oct. 20, 2024 documents to the OSG concerning land acquisitions and properties allegedly “owned, procured [and] acquired” by Chinese nationals in violation of the Constitution.

“Once we have gathered sufficient evidence, we’ll initiate the appropriate legal actions, which may include civil forfeiture, reversion, escheat, cancellation of birth certificates, deportation and criminal/administrative complaints,” Guevarra added in the interview.

According to the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, the government is allowed to seize money or property tied to illegal activities without requiring a criminal conviction.