Hontiveros urges Senate probe of Joseph Sy: 'Being Filipino not for sale'

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday called on the Senate to investigate the citizenship issue of Global Ferronickel Holdings chair Joseph Sy, warning that it poses a serious threat to national security.

In her privilege speech, Hontiveros pressed for accountability over Sy’s alleged fraudulent Filipino identity, drawing parallels to the controversial case of Alice Guo.

Citing Bureau of Immigration findings, Hontiveros revealed that Sy is allegedly a Chinese national named Chen Zhongzhen. His Philippine passport reportedly matched the fingerprints of Zhongzhen, who previously applied for a visa under Republic Act No. 7919, or the Alien Social Integration Act, a law granting amnesty to foreigners who entered the country before 1992.

Sy allegedly moved to the Philippines at age 17, initially working at a wood factory before shifting to timber trading, and eventually to nickel mining, and smelting. Hontiveros further disclosed that in 2018, Sy became part of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, where he was even granted the honorary rank of Auxiliary Commodore. She warned that a foreigner should not have access to sensitive information, particularly amid ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

According to Hontiveros, Sy’s case also involves suspicious late registration of birth like Guo. “Who should be held accountable? Is it the local civil registrar or the Philippine Statistics Authority?” she asked.

“Who granted him positions of trust within our maritime institutions? What is our criteria for granting membership in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary? What protections are in place to ensure that foreign interests are not embedded in our extractive industries, which should be under the heaviest guard by our government?” she added.

"I urge our Senate to investigate these links thoroughly," she cotinued.

Hontiveros clarified at the outset that she is not against business or investment. Instead, she emphasized her stand for the rule of law, stressing that Filipinos must retain legitimate control over the nation’s natural resources, especially in industries like mining.

“One’s citizenship is a sacred bond of allegiance, a solemn commitment between the state and its people,” she said, highlighting the gravity of the allegations against Sy.

According to the senator, the questionable identity of Sy and his huge business is a clear indication that Sy is "playing" with Filipinos and that this is a threat to national security.

Although Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. (FNI) is among the largest nickel producers in the Philippines, the senator asserted that control over the nation’s natural resources should remain solely in Filipino hands.

“Ang teritoryo at likas na yaman ng Pilipinas ay para sa Pilipino. Atin ‘yan lahat. Kabuhayan at puhunan ‘yan ng ating mga kababayan. Hindi ‘yan dapat pinapakialaman, hindi dapat pinanghihimasukan, at hinding-hindi dapat kinukupitan ng mga dayuhang nagpapanggap na Pilipino. (The territory and natural resources of the Philippines belong to the Filipino people. All of that is ours. It is the livelihood and capital of our countrymen. It should not be meddled with, interfered with, and most especially, should never be stolen by foreigners pretending to be Filipinos.)” she declared.

Hontiveros ended her speech with a sharp reminder: “The Philippines is not for sale. Our flag is not for sale. Being a Filipino is not for sale.”