Did Joseph Sy use the Alice Guo modus?
Did Joseph Sy, chair of the Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI), go through the same process as dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo in acquiring alleged fraudulent documents to secure Filipino citizenship?
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said on Thursday this is one of the questions that should be asked to exact accountability from those behind Sy’s allegedly fraudulent Philippine citizenship.
“That’s one of the main questions that we have right now, who should be held accountable? Because someone or some people must be held accountable,” said Hontiveros, who is also Senate deputy minority leader, in a Kapihan sa Senado forum.
“Is it the civil local registrar only or the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)? It seems that the process that Joseph Sy, aka Chen Zhong Zhen or Shi Zhenzhong, went through was the same with what Alice Guo underwent,” she added.
Voluntary leave
Sy has temporarily stepped away from his responsibilities in the mining company to focus on personal legal matters about his citizenship.
Global Ferronickel’s board approved Sy’s voluntary leave of absence effective Aug. 27.
“This decision reflects the Board’s commitment to allowing Mr. Sy to focus on resolving his personal legal matters while safeguarding the best interests of the Company and its stakeholders,” the company informed the local bourse on Thursday.
The listed mining firm announced the election of its president, Dante Bravo, as chair of the board to ensure seamless leadership and operational continuity.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said earlier it was “closely monitoring” Sy’s arrest on Aug. 21 over allegations of misrepresentation of his citizenship and will “evaluate” whether it would undertake any more action.
In a previous disclosure this week, Global Ferronickel reiterated that allegations against Sy has no “lawful basis” and he is a Filipino citizen, as affirmed in multiple rulings by government agencies and institutions, including the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the Department of Justice, the Office of the President, the SEC and the Supreme Court.
“Mr. Sy has never been involved in any criminal activity. Any attempt to associate him with controversial personalities is grossly unfair,” the firm said in an Aug. 26 disclosure.
Nat’l security at risk
Hontiveros said the Senate will summon the PSA and the local civil registrar to clear the issue.
“We cannot allow that something or some people always manage to get past through our institutions and documents, because if that happens our sovereignty is also accessed,” the senator said.
Hontiveros added that even the country’s national security was placed at risk when Sy managed to join the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) service in 2018.
A PCG document dated July 26, 2018, which was provided by Hontiveros’ office, showed that pursuant to HPCG Memorandum Circular 01-14 dated June 6, 2014, Sy was appointed by then Adm. Elson Hermogino to the service of the PCG Auxiliary Executive Squadron with the honorary rank of auxiliary commodore.
“We were worried, what if he was actually engaged in espionage … he was able to join the PCGA. And not only that, joining the organization was a breeze for him, and he was given a high rank in a special group inside PCGA,” she said.
Not speculations
Hontiveros noted that PCGA members are “heavily vetted” and that it takes years for others to get accepted.
“What’s more concerning was PCG gets to work with the Philippine Navy … these are agencies tasked to watch and protect our maritime territories … and then now we found out that they have a member or an official who is actually a Chinese national,” she said.
In a privilege speech on Wednesday, Hontiveros said Sy and Chinese citizen Chen Zhong Zhen or Shi Zhenzhong are “one and the same person” based on a BI certification.
According to the document, the fingerprints in Sy’s Philippine passport matched with Chen’s fingerprints in his visa application under Republic Act No. 7919 or the Alien Social Integration Act.
Distressing signal
Hontiveros said that based on Chinese websites, Sy was born in Donghua Village, Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China.
She also said these kinds of loopholes in the country’s security are no longer acceptable at a time when the West Philippine Sea is a constant flashpoint of foreign incursions.
She added that the PCG has delisted Sy.
The senator also stressed that Filipinos are at a disadvantage over the country’s own minerals since Sy’s company exports raw nickel to China.
Mining groups, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association, have rallied behind Sy and urged local authorities to uphold due process and immediately release the company executive.
According to both groups, Sy’s detention undermines the country’s position in the global market and sends a distressing signal to the business and investment community, as the government is implementing various reforms to boost the sector’s growth.
