In the Philippine legal hierarchy, the Barangay is the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies. Because the Barangay Chairperson (Punong Barangay) is a public officer, their signature carries the weight of official authority. Forging this signature is not merely a private wrong; it is a crime against public interest and the integrity of the state.

Under the Revised Penal Code (RPC) of the Philippines, such an act is primarily prosecuted as Falsification of Public Documents.

1. Classification of the Crime

The forgery of a Barangay Chairperson’s signature on an official document falls under Article 171 (Falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastic minister) or Article 172 (Falsification by private individual) of the Revised Penal Code.

Public Document Status: A Barangay Clearance, Certification, or Resolution is a public document because it is issued by a public officer in the exercise of their official functions.
The Act of Forgery: Legally, this is defined as "counterfeiting or imitating any handwriting, signature or rubric" or "causing it to appear that persons have participated in any act or proceeding when they did not in fact so participate."

2. Criminal Penalties

The severity of the penalty depends on who committed the forgery:

Private Individuals (Art. 172): If a private citizen forges the Chairperson’s signature, the penalty is prisión correccional in its medium and maximum periods (ranging from 2 years, 4 months, and 1 day to 6 years) and a fine not exceeding ₱5,000 (subject to adjustments under Republic Act No. 10951).
Public Officers (Art. 171): If a Barangay Secretary or another government employee forges the Chairperson’s signature by taking advantage of their official position, the penalty is much harsher: prisión mayor (6 years and 1 day to 12 years) and a fine not exceeding ₱1,000,000.

3. Use of Falsified Documents

Even if a person did not perform the actual forgery, using the document with the forged signature is a separate and distinct offense under Article 172, Paragraph 3.

Key Rule: If you know a Barangay Clearance is forged and you present it to an employer or a government agency (like the DFA or NBI), you are liable for the same penalty as the forger.

4. Elements Required for Conviction

To be successfully prosecuted for falsification of a public document, the following elements must be proven:

That the offender is a private individual (or a public officer not acting in an official capacity).
That the offender committed any of the acts of falsification (e.g., counterfeiting a signature).
That the falsification was committed in a public or official document.
(For use of documents): That the user knew the document was falsified and used it to cause damage or with intent to cause damage.

5. Administrative and Civil Liabilities

Beyond jail time, the offender faces collateral consequences:

Administrative Liability: If the offender is a government employee, they may face dismissal from service, forfeiture of benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Civil Liability: If the forgery resulted in financial loss to a third party (e.g., using a forged certification to claim a benefit or sell property), the offender can be sued for Damages under the Civil Code.
Void Ab Initio: Any contract, permit, or right acquired through a forged signature is considered "void from the beginning." It confers no legal rights.

6. Common Contexts of Forgery

Forgery of a Barangay Chairperson’s signature typically occurs in:

Barangay Clearances: For employment or licensing.
Certificates of Indigency: To claim social service benefits or legal aid.
Barangay Business Permits: To bypass local zoning or taxation.
Certificates to File Action: Forging the signature on a document that claims a dispute underwent the Lupong Tagapamayapa (Katarungang Pambarangay) when it did not.