Possible links of Alice Guo, Joseph Sy to be investigated — Hontiveros

Senator Risa Hontiveros said Thursday that her camp will investigate the possible connections between former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and nickel businessman Joseph Sy who allegedly falsified his Filipino citizenship. 

Hontiveros, who earlier filed proposed Senate Resolution No. 93, calling for the appropriate Senate committee to probe Sy’s case, however, admitted that her camp has not yet found any evidence to prove any links between the two. 

“Wala pa po kaming nakuhang link sa pagitan ni Joseph Sy at Guo Hua Ping sa aming pagre-research. Pero, wouldn't it be very interesting kung may POGO links siya? Pero sa ngayon, wala pa naman. Sapat na alarma sa amin na nakapasok siya sa PCG Auxiliary, lalo na nung nalaman namin yung iba pa niyang mga links, na may link din sa Chinese Communist Party,” the senator said.

(We haven't found any link between Joseph Sy and Guo Hua Ping based on our research. But, wouldn't it be very interesting if he has POGO links? But right now, there is none. It is alarming enough for us that he joined the PCG Auxiliary, especially when we found out about his other links, particularly to the Chinese Communist Party.) 

Hontiveros has alleged that Sy is “the same” person as Chinese citizen Chen Zhong Zhen.

In a privilege speech on Wednesday, she presented documents, including Sy's Philippine passport and an alien certificate of registration, which indicated his Chinese citizenship. She also raised concerns about national security and sovereignty, alleging that Sy was supposedly “playing” with the Philippines while pushing for foreign interests. 

According to the Hontiveros, her proposed resolution will “most probably” be referred to the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, which is led by Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. 

Hontiveros also said that the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) will be invited to the hearing to shed light on how Sy got his Filipino citizenship. 

“Nauna man or nahuli sa kaso ni Guo Hua Ping o Alice Guo, ibig sabihin, hindi nag-iisa si Guo Hua Ping sa napakinabangan na samantalahan ang ganyang proseso. Dahil kahit may sinasabi si Joseph Sy na nakapag-pronounce naman na noon tungkol sa citizenship [niya], actually, hindi rin ‘yan accurate,” she said. 

(This means that Guo Hua Ping was not the only person who benefited from such a process. Joseph Sy also used this when he falsely pronounced his citizenship.) 

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.

Hontiveros also emphasized that it will also be determined whether Sy was engaged in possible espionage because he became a member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Auxiliary in 2018.

The PCG on Tuesday said it has delisted Sy from its Auxiliary unit over misrepresentation of his citizenship. 

Sy, 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 his detention sends the wrong message to the business and investment community. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News