The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has called on the government to release mining executive Joseph Sy, chair of Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc., who was recently detained by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) over allegations of holding fraudulently acquired Philippine identity documents.

“The continued detention of Joseph Sy despite an order for his immediate release is undermining the national image as a destination for foreign investments, not only for the Philippine mining industry but for the whole business community,” the PCCI said in a statement on Tuesday.

Reacting to announcements of a Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision ordering Sy’s release, the PCCI stressed that every day the BI defies the RTC’s order sends the wrong signal to potential investors.

Sy was detained on 21 August for allegedly falsifying his Filipino citizenship, despite prior rulings on his citizenship by the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court.

“Sy, as chair of the PCCI mining industry committee, is leading a consortium of Filipino mining companies to help set up the transition from making the Philippines just an exporter of raw mineral ores to an exporter of higher value-added processed products. The integrity and credibility of this massive effort, which requires huge capital mobilization and takes at least five years to execute, is put at risk if the court’s order for Sy’s release is delayed,” the PCCI added.

The country’s largest business group lamented that the Philippines is already suffering in sectors such as tourism due to uncertainties in the business environment arising from inconsistent policy implementation and lack of adherence to the rule of law.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said on Monday that Sy remains in custody as the agency is set to appeal the Taguig City RTC Branch 271 decision ordering his release.

The BI has ruled that Sy is a Chinese national under his real name, Chen Zhong Zhen.