MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday said it has no record of the document purporting to have appointed a certain individual as the commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
On Monday, several news outlets reported that former New Era University College of Law Dean Abraham Espejo Jr. has been named by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as immigration commissioner.
“Walang dokumentong ganoon sa Presidential Management Staff, sa Office of the Executive Secretary, o sa Office of the President. Walang record ng dokumento na iyon,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said in a Palace briefing.
(None of the Presidential Management Staff, Office of the Executive Secretary, or Office of the President have such a document.)
Cruz-Angeles said the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police have already been directed to investigate the matter.
Bureau of Immigration in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ ALEXIS CORPUZ
She also called on the media, especially those who reported on the story, to give information about the source of the said document.
“Kung matatandaan natin, ang mga gumagamit ng falsified o forged document ay maaaring ma-subject to investigation,” she said.
(If we can recall, those who use falsified or forged documents can be subjected to investigation.)
“Gayunpaman, wine-welcome natin ang kahit anong impormasyon tungo sa pag-prosecute sa kaso na ito kung susuportahan ito ng ebidensya through the investigation,” she added.
(Nevertheless, we welcome any information that would aid in prosecuting this case, should the evidence support it.)
Cruz-Angeles noted that forging the government’s seal, the President’s signature or stamp is penalized with reclusion temporal, which is 12 to 20 years in prison.