Following the controversy involving former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, which opened what many described as a Pandora’s box of secrets, another similar case has surfaced. Senator Risa Hontiveros revealed that another “Filipino-Chinese” citizen accused of fraudulent crimes had even entered the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as one of its auxiliaries.
Hontiveros raised a national alarm after learning that businessman Joseph Sy, chair of mining company Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc., was recently detained by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for allegedly holding fraudulently acquired Philippine identity documents, and was accepted as a member of the PCG Auxiliary (PCGA).
The PCGA is a uniformed civilian support group of the PCG that promotes the safety of life and property at sea. Although a volunteer civilian organization, the PCGA uses a military structure for organizational purposes.
“This is like Alice Guo Part 2: pretending to be Filipino, with fake passports, and fake IDs. It seems that the loopholes in the processing of our nationality are still there. Although the PCGA is voluntary and non-governmental, it is sad to think that Sy had access to people and events where national security might be discussed,” she said in Filipino.
She further disclosed that, based on their sources, Sy was admitted to the PCGA in 2018 and received an honorary rank under the previous administration.
“He was not only admitted to the local government, he was also close to the coast guard itself—the very agency tasked with safeguarding the security of our seas. When our institutions and papers are compromised, our sovereignty is also compromised,” she added.
Hontiveros also revealed that during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s state visit to China in 2016, Sy’s company entered into a partnership with Chinese state-owned enterprise Baiyin Nonferrous Group Co., Ltd. The agreement involved mining operations in Palawan, a sensitive and strategic location in the ongoing territorial dispute between the Philippines and China.
“What is the true agenda of Joseph Sy? Is he simply conducting business in Palawan, or is there more to his operations than meets the eye?” Hontiveros asked.
“If this businessman is indeed a Chinese national masquerading as Filipino, the Senate must immediately probe his affiliations, background, and the circumstances under which he obtained his Philippine documents. We should look into who enabled him and how deep his network goes,” the senator said.
Alice Guo, identified as Guo Hua Ping, filed separate counter-affidavits in May 2025 against tax evasion, falsification, and graft complaints lodged before the Department of Justice. She remains incarcerated at the Pasig City Jail while awaiting resolution on multiple charges filed against her.
The PCG, meanwhile, said it is currently verifying the authenticity of Sy’s appointment papers presented by Hontiveros to the media and is crafting an official statement regarding the senator’s revelations.