A man was arrested for allegedly selling a fake certificate of no marriage record or Cenomar to prove that the bride is single. It is said that those who use fake Cenomar include those who want to marry foreigners.
In a report by John Consulta on GMA News “24 Oras” on Monday, the suspect was identified as Darwin Rotap. The latter was arrested by personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation-Special Task Force and Anti-Red Tape Authority or (ARTA).
According to some complainants, the fixers are offering to change their civil status from married to single in exchange for P3,500.
“‘Yung asawa mo buhay pa pinapalabas na patay na o kaya pinapalabas na hindi ka talaga nag-asawa,” said Jeremiah Belgica, ARTA’s director general.
Sixto Espinesin Jr., NBI-STF executive officer, said that fake cenomars could also be used in human trafficking and mail order brides to marry foreigners.
Authorities at the Philippine Statistics Authority brought the recovered Cenomar to Rotap, who confirmed that the document was fake.
Rotap admitted that the Cenomar that was taken from him was fake and that he was making it to earn money.
How to get CENOMAR in the Philippines
Option 1: Walk-in application.
Requirements:
Duly-accomplished CENOMAR Application Form
1 valid ID
Authorization letter (if applicable)
Fee: Php 210 per copy
Step-by-step Guide:
Head to the nearest PSA office.
Get your green CENOMAR Application Form from the Customer Service Counter.
Fill out the application form.
Head to the Evaluating Officer and check your form and documents for accuracy, authenticity, and legibility.
Once your documents are approved, head to the cashier to pay the application fee.
Get your Official Receipt with a stamp containing the date and time of the release of your document.
If you go to the office early, your document will be released on the same day.
Head to the Releasing Area to receive your CENOMAR.
Option 2: Online application.
PSA Serbilis and PSA Helpline can process CENOMAR requests and deliver the official document anywhere in the Philippines. OFWs can also use one of these service providers since it accepts and delivers orders abroad.
It must be noted that should your requested document requires manual research and/or retrieval from paper archives, there will be an additional 10-15 days of processing/delivery time. Again, you’ll be informed via email if that’s the case for your online document request.
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