Identity fraud perpetrated by foreign nationals is a serious threat to national security. It subverts the integrity of immigration systems and complicates law enforcement efforts.

As foreign individuals take advantage of the country’s vulnerabilities in identification processes, the potential for criminal activities, including terrorism, human trafficking and financial fraud, increases. Public safety is at risk, and the resources tasked with maintaining security and order are strained.

As foreign individuals exploit a country’s weaknesses in identification processes, the risk of criminal activity, including terrorism, human trafficking and financial fraud, increases.

Addressing the complexities of identity fraud is crucial for safeguarding the nation and preserving public trust in governmental institutions.

The issue of Chinese nationals engaging in identity theft and fraud is not new. As a young reporter in 1988, I covered the exploits of the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, then immigration commissioner, who took a proactive approach to combating identity fraud and aggressively deported those involved.

I should give credit to Senator Risa Hontiveros for her persistence and resilience in addressing this persistent problem. The case of “Mr. Yin,” a fugitive from China, has come to light. This incident, along with the presence of other suspicious Chinese individuals entering our system, exposing systemic vulnerabilities and threatening national security, was raised by Hontiveros during last week’s Senate hearing.

According to Hontiveros, Mr. Yin managed to evade justice and secure refugee status in the Philippines, where reports identified him as an online gambling boss.

The Department of Justice’s Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Unit must clarify how this occurred, or we will conclude that something was happening under the table.

The refugee protection system, created to offer refuge to individuals escaping real persecution, has turned into a loophole that criminals are taking advantage of. This distortion of our humanitarian policies highlights the government’s failure — or inability — to distinguish between those who truly deserve protection and those who do not.

Hontiveros’s scrutiny of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) over the delay in endorsing the cancellation of the birth certificate of another Chinese businessman, Joseph Sy, reveals a flaw in how government authorities verify identities.

The PSA earlier found irregularities in the late registration of Sy’s birth certificate in December 2025 and committed to submit its findings to the Office of the Solicitor General.

The Bureau of Immigration reported that fingerprints from Sy’s Philippine passport matched those of Chen Zhong Zhen, a Chinese national who previously held a long-term visa and an Alien Certificate of Registration identity card, raising suspicion that he was a “fake Filipino.”

How many other Mr. Yins and Joseph Sys are there, hiding in plain sight and operating under the radar while Filipinos remain oblivious to their true identities?

Amid the geopolitical tensions in the West Philippine Sea and global threats, we find ourselves vulnerable to foreign individuals whose true intentions may be anything but peaceful.

The case of Alice Guo, who became a mayor despite questionable documentation, highlights how foreign nationals exploit our systems to gain power. It has been 38 years since Miriam first addressed this problem of identity fraud, but unfortunately, she has passed away. The sad thing is there will never be another Miriam.

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