Fake PWD ID Holders May Face Criminal Charges, Philippine Justice Department Says
Key Takeaways
- •Users of fake PWD identification cards in the Philippines could face charges for falsification of a public document or for estafa through falsification.
- •About 8.5 million people are reported to be using PWD IDs even though only roughly 2.8 million persons with disabilities are registered, leaving a discrepancy of around six million cards.
- •Establishments must grant the PWD discount immediately upon presentation of an ID and cannot require prior verification, though they may confirm authenticity with the issuing local government unit afterward.
- •Officials who improperly issue PWD IDs could face sanctions under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and doctors who issue falsified medical certificates may also be prosecuted.
- •Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida urged users of fake IDs to stop, while the Department of Justice said its formal legal opinion on the issue will be issued soon.
People who use fake persons with disabilities (PWD) identification cards could face criminal charges, while officials who improperly issue the cards and doctors who falsify supporting documents may also be held liable, the Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Thursday.
The DoJ said the National Council on Disability Affairs has reported about 8.5 million people using PWD IDs even though only around 2.8 million persons with disabilities are registered — a discrepancy of roughly 6 million cards that could translate into significant losses for businesses and the government. Earlier Senate estimates likewise placed fake PWD ID use at 8.5 million. The scale of the gap matters because PWD IDs entitle holders to discounts that establishments must grant, meaning every fraudulent card in circulation represents a benefit extended at the expense of merchants and the government.
Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin L. Chan said establishments must grant the discount as soon as a PWD ID is presented and cannot require prior verification, leaving merchants to honor the card first and settle its authenticity afterward.
"You have to extend the benefit already upon presentation of the ID," Mr. Chan told a news briefing.
Businesses may subsequently verify the card with the local government unit, the DoJ said. If a card is proven fake, the holder could face charges for falsification of a public document or estafa through falsification — the latter a swindling offense under Philippine law.
Officials who improperly issue the IDs could face sanctions under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which penalizes corrupt practices by public officials, while doctors who issue falsified medical certificates may also be prosecuted.
Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida urged users of fake IDs to stop. "Let's start living honestly. Let's have integrity in our lives," Mr. Vida said.
The DoJ said its legal opinion on the issue will be issued soon; until then, the obligation to honor the discount on presentation stands alongside the option of post-transaction verification with the issuing local government unit.
— Erika Mae P. Sinaking, BusinessWorld
Source: BusinessWorld
