admin 
Ni Ernie Reyes
Binawi ng Senado ang plenary approval sa panukalang badyet ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) matapos matuklsan na may birth certificates ang naibigay sa foreign nationals kaya nakakakuha n Philippine passports.
Naganap ito sa deliberasyon ng badyet ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nang kuwestiyunin ni Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa sa impormasyon ng Department of Justice na sampung dauhan ang nakakuha ng Philippine passports.
Tinukoy ni Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, sponsor ng badyet ng DFA, ang official statement of ng ahensiya na nagsasabing “foreign nationals pose themselves as Filipinos by issuing Filipino identities through the presentation of authentic and genuine PSA birth certificate, with valid government-issued ID cards that are accepted for a passport application.”
“These foreign nationals also pose themselves as persons with disabilities and they were accompanied by their so-called relatives in their passport applications,” ayon kay Legarda.
Aniya, kasalukuyang iniimbestigahan ng DFA ang insidente at isusulong ang paghahain ng kasong kriminal laban sa dayuhan.
“The department was working closely with the PSA, Bureau of Immigration, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine National Police to prevent similar cases in the future,” aniya.
Ayon naman kay Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva na base sa inisyal na imbestigasyon ng DFA, natuklasan na verified ng PSA ang dokumento na ginamit ng dayuhan sa pagkuha ng passport.
Dahil dito, minabuti ni Villanueva na bawiin ang aprubal ng badyet ng PSA na naunag inaprubaha nitong Miyerkoles.
“I will make a formal move to reconsider the submission of the budget of the Philippine Statistics Authority and direct the [Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO)] to issue the necessary notice and inform the body of the schedule of the PSA budget discussion,” ayon kay Villanueva.
Nagpahayag naman ng reserbasyon si Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri sa pagbawi ng aprubal ng badyet ng PSA dahil baka maging masamang precdents ang pangyayari pero inaprubahan ang mosyon ni Villanueva nang walang tumutol.
