The Palace clarified that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr had not appointed a new commissioner for the Bureau of Immigration (BI). The reported appointment paper appeared to be fake, and the document containing the president’s signature was forged.
This Tuesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said that the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police had been assigned to investigate the alleged forgery of the president’s signature and the alleged fake Bureau of Immigration appointment paper.
“Kahapon may lumabas na mga news report tungkol sa appointment sa posisyon ng Immigrations commissioner. Kasama ng announcement na iyon ay isang dokumento na nag-a-attest to the appointment,” said Cruz-Angeles.
“Tungo dito at matapos ang pagtatanong at pagsisiyasat, wala pong dokumento na ganoon sa PMS, sa Presidential Management Staff, sa Office of the Press Secretary or sa Office of the President. Walang record ng dokumento na ‘yon,” the officia added.
This Monday, journalists at OPS first learned about the alleged appointment of a new BI commissioner.
But OPS denied this in their statement.
“We have confirmed with the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) – – which conducts complete staff work on such appointments – – that no document for the said position has been issued,” according to OPS.
New Bureau of Immigration commissioner appointment fake – Malacañang
In the alleged appointment paper, what appears to be Marcos’ signature and the government’s ‘seal’ can be seen.
According to Cruz-Angeles, the law prohibits copying the president’s signature and using the government’s official seal.
“Ayon sa Revised Penal Code Article 161, ang pag-forge ng great seal of the government, signature ng Presidente o stamp ng Presidente ay pinaparusahan ng reclusion temporal, reclusion temporal po ay 12 to 20 years,” Cruz-Angeles, a lawyer, said.
“Tungo dito nag-utos ng imbestigasyon through the secretaries sa NBI at sa PNP, through the respective secretaries… Nasa unique position po ang ating media lalong-lalo na doon sa nagdala ng istorya na makapagbigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa source ng dokumentong ito,” she added.
According to Cruz-Angeles, the journalists who reported about such a fake appointment can help someone find those who should be held accountable to the law.
She also warned that others might use the forgery of the president’s signature.
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