Risa Hontiveros urges Senate probe on how Joseph Sy got Filipino citizenship

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday called for a Senate investigation into the alleged questionable citizenship of nickel businessman Joseph Sy, whom she said was “the same” person as Chinese citizen Chen Zhong Zhen.

In a privileged speech, Hontiveros presented documents, including Sy's Philippine passport and an alien certificate of registration, which indicated his Chinese citizenship.

She raised concerns about national security and sovereignty, alleging that Sy was supposedly “playing” with the Philippines while pushing for foreign interests. 

“Sa kaso ni Joseph Sy, may malinaw na ebidensya sa intensyon niyang makasingit at makalusot sa batas para makuha ang mga pribilehiyong dapat ay nakalaan lamang para sa mga tunay na Pilipino," Hontiveros said.

"His is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent his nationality, to pass off as Filipino while retaining allegiance to a foreign state. Nagpanggap na Pilipino, at ang isinusulong—interes ng dayuhan,” she added.

(In the case of Joseph Sy, there is clear evidence of his intention to circumvent the law to get privileges that should only be granted to true Filipinos. This is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent his nationality, to pass off as Filipino while retaining allegiance to a foreign state. He is pretending to be Filipino, but what he is pushing for is the interest of a foreign country.)  

Sy was the chairman of the mining company Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc., and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) has called for his release.

In a statement released Monday, the PNIA called for due process and a rules-based environment, as it said Sy’s detention sends the wrong message to the business and investment community.

“PNIA stands in solidarity with Mr. Sy and with all industry stakeholders who deserve the protection of their constitutional rights. We call on the authorities to act swiftly, observe due process, and immediately resolve this matter by releasing Mr. Sy without delay,” the statement read.

Alice Guo lessons

Citing lessons from the case of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, Hontiveros said that a person's citizenship was "a sacred bond of allegiance, a solemn commitment between the State and its people.”

“I am not anti-business. I am not anti-investment. I am for the rule of law and for protecting Filipino citizenship from those who do not have a legitimate claim to it," Hontiveros said.

"I am for protecting industries that remain nationalized, gaya ng mining industry. Pilipino pa rin dapat ang may kontrol niyan ayon mismo sa batas, at hindi pa nagbabago ang batas,” she added.

(I am for protecting industries that remain nationalized, such as the mining industry. Filipinos should be in control of these industries, according to the law, and the law has not changed.) 

To recall, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) had confirmed that Chen Zhong Zhen, 60, arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 3 on August 21 for misrepresenting himself as a Filipino, is Sy.

The Chinese was the subject of a mission order and an investigation after the BI received information from government intelligence sources about his alleged illegal acquisition of Philippine documents.

He was found to be using a Philippine passport issued in 2021, and had several Philippine identity cards showing that he was a Filipino.

Coast Guard auxiliary unit

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday also said it has delisted Sy from its Auxiliary unit over misrepresentation of his citizenship. 

The PCG said that the application of Sy, who became part of the PCGA Executive Squadron in 2018, went through the process and was duly endorsed by the squadron.

According to the CG-7, Sy was not considered for delisting in the past because of his presented proof of Filipino citizenship and good standing in the community as a leader of a reputable organization.

Hontiveros earlier flagged the supposed enlistment of Sy as part of the PCG Auxiliary unit, saying Sy was just posing as a Filipino like the ousted Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.

The senator also alleged that Sy is the honorary chairman of the Philippine Silk Road International Chamber of Commerce, which she claimed has ties to the Communist Party of China and its One Belt, One Road initiative. 

“The dangers do not end there. Records show that Sy is involved in mining operations in our country. Raw nickel ore is shipped abroad to China, feeding the industrial needs of other nations while leaving us with environmental degradation and local communities with little benefit,” Hontiveros said. 

'Lead exporter of nickel'

“Joseph Sy’s company is the lead exporter of raw nickel to China at diretso ito sa sarili niyang  smelting plant, Guangdong Century Tsingshan Nickel Industry Co. Mr. President, paano makikinabang ang mga Pilipino at ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas, kung hindi naman Pilipino ang nangungunang nagmimina ng nickel? Ikaka-proud ba natin yan?”

(Mr. President, how will the Filipinos and the Philippine economy benefit from this, if the top miners of nickel in the country are not Filipinos? How can we be proud of that?) 

According to Hontiveros, it should thus be identified who was responsible for Sy’s late registration of birth, and who granted him positions of trust within the country’s maritime institutions. 

She said that the upper chamber should investigate such links and review the processes by which citizenship claims are validated and awarded. 

“The Philippines is not for sale, our flag is not for sale, being a Filipino is not for sale,” she added. –NB, GMA Integrated News