Hontiveros calls for probe into Sy’s enlistment in PCGA with fake docs

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros raised concerns over Chinese businessman Joseph Sy's alleged enlistment in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) using fraudulent documents.

Sy, who heads Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., was detained by the Bureau of Immigration on August 21 for reportedly possessing false Philippine identity papers.

Hontiveros highlighted that Sy received an honorary rank from former President Rodrigo Duterte and questioned his true intentions regarding mining operations in Palawan, a sensitive area in territorial disputes with China.

The senator called for an investigation into how Sy obtained his Philippine documents and urged vigilance amid the ongoing territorial issues between the Philippines and China.

In response to the detention, the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) called for due process and the immediate release of Sy, emphasizing that his arrest sends a negative message to investors.

The PNIA argued that Sy's citizenship was previously recognized by the Bureau of Immigration in two separate rulings and questioned the legality of his current detention.