Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, 15 December, raised alarm on the entry of foreign fugitives in the Philippines.

During the hearing conducted by the Senate subcommittee on Justice and Human Rights, Hontiveros bemoaned the entry of alien fugitives who obtained Filipino identities with the assistance of alleged unscrupulous government officials.

The senator cited the case of Joseph Sy, who obtained Filipino identity documents and was able to join the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, an institution that operates alongside the country's maritime security apparatus and engages directly with coastal communities and sensitive maritime environments.

Hontiveros also warned that Sy's involvement poses serious risks to national security and environmental protection.

"Joseph Sy’s interests also intersect with mining and resource extraction, sectors that are already fraught with environmental harm, regulatory weakness, and long-standing community conflict," she pointed out.

"He presented himself as a Filipino citizen, and invoked the rights, privileges, and protections that citizenship confers. Which begs the question, how did he become Filipino? Was his identity lawfully obtained or manufactured for special access?" she added.

The lawmaker also underscored the urgent need to tighten security against identity fraud and institutional abuse, as the case of Sy reflects a broader pattern that the Senate has already started to uncover.

Citing the Bureau of Immigration, Hontiveros said that the fingerprints on the alleged Philippine passport of "Joseph Sy" matched the fingerprints of a certain Chen Zhong Zhen, who applied for amnesty under Republic Act 7919 or the Alien Social Integration Act of 199,5 which grants amnesty to foreigners who entered the country before 1992.

Hontiveros added that Sy's two children also have two identities and two passports.

"We have seen foreign fugitives, economic criminals, and syndicate-linked individuals exploit weaknesses in our documentation systems, our inter-agency coordination, and even our humanitarian frameworks," she continued.

"Just recently, this chamber revealed, individuals facing serious criminal charges abroad have managed to present themselves as refugees or asylum seekers," she added.

Hontiveros also stressed that foreign fugitives "misuse international protection mechanisms that were designed to protect those fleeing persecution, not those fleeing accountability."

"The common thread running through these cases is the misuse of Philippine institutions, and in the end, the Filipino people are the losers," she added.

For his part, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Viado vowed to ask for the cancellation of Sy's passport.

"As a matter of fact, Chen Zhong Zhen has an admission that he is Joseph Sy," Viado said.

Sy was arrested by the BI last 21 August at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.