MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has recommended the cancellation of embattled Bamban Mayor Alice Guo’s certificate of live birth (COLB) or birth certificate, putting the mayor’s alleged Filipino citizenship in limbo.
Guo’s late birth registration was applied before the PSA on Nov. 22, 2005, when Guo was already a teenager, PSA Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande said during the Senate’s resumption of its investigation on Guo’s alleged involvement in illegal POGO activities.
Upon interrogation of Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Grande said that Guo’s delayed birth registration was “irregular” because of the false information about her birthplace and citizenship.
“We had already endorsed to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) for the cancellation of (Guo’s) COLB. The PSA has no power to automatically cancel if there was an irregular process in the registration,” Grande added.
Once Guo’s COLB is cancelled, Grande explained that technically, the former’s identity is floating, because her Filipino citizenship is being questioned.
Hontiveros said Guo’s delayed birth registration was “fraudulent” because of the lack of supporting documents.
“This has heavy implications on the person involved,” the senator added.
Grande said that aside from the mayor’s COLB, they also petitioned the OSG for the cancellation of the birth certificates of her siblings Sheila, Seimen and Wesley. – Emmanuel Tupas, Michael Punongbayan, Cecille Suerte Felipe