MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday decried the reported case of another foreign national allegedly posing as a Filipino, warning that the sale of official identities remains a grave national concern.

“Nobody should be able to purchase being a Filipino,” Hontiveros said in a statement, referring to the individual dubbed the “Alice Guo of Manila.”

“Pero sa totoo lang, hindi na ako nagulat na may isa na namang dayuhan na nagpanggap na Pilipino,” she added. “Our Senate hearings on POGOs and the case of Alice Guo have shown how government-issued IDs have been sold and abused for illegal activities.”

Hontiveros said the recurring pattern points to a long-running scheme that requires urgent intervention from law enforcement and government agencies.

“Tila matagal na itong kalakaran, at kailangan na ng seryosong aksyon,” she said, calling on authorities to identify and prosecute those behind the sale of Filipino identities.

She also urged the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to review and clean up their internal systems if needed to prevent further abuse.

“Dapat bigyang-prayoridad ng gobyerno ang paglinis sa mga dumi at kalat na iniwan ng mga POGO,” Hontiveros said, noting the lingering impact of offshore gaming operations in undermining government integrity.