DOJ airs warning, concerns on PWD IDs

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday warned individuals who obtained Persons with Disability (PWD) IDs through deceptive means of possible criminal liability.

Chief State Counsel Dennis Chan said this in a press conference on Thursday as he expressed alarm over the nearly 6 million PWD ID holders who are not registered in official records.

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Chan reminded business owners that it is against the law to confiscate PWD IDs that they suspect to be fake.

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They, however, could later check their authenticity and file the appropriate charges, such as falsification of public documents, estafa, or graft.

Of the 8.5 million people using PWD IDs, only 2.8 million are registered, resulting in “serious economic loss not only to the business owners but also to the government,” Chan said.

The DOJ said the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is seeking its legal opinion on the proliferation of fake PWD IDs. 

Under the law, PWD ID holders are entitled to a 20-percent discount and exemption from the 12-percent value-added tax when purchasing certain goods and availing of services from establishments.

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Chan said that the NCDA is working on a unified PWD ID system, a database that would allow for foolproof verification of PWDs.

A two- to three-year transition period is expected to fix the records, which must be cross-checked for duplication. /gsg