NICA still monitoring mining exec

THE Philippines’ intelligence agency is still monitoring a mining company executive previously embroiled in an identity falsification charge on national security grounds.

The National Intelligence and Coordinating Agency (NICA) is keeping an eye on Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. Chairman Joseph C. Sy, whose Filipino citizenship was questioned by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and was detained in August, its director Ferlu J. Silvio said.

The Court of Appeals (CA) ordered Mr. Sy’s release in September, after it upheld a lower court ruling ordering his immediate release, recognizing him as a Filipino citizen.

“This case was dismissed for lack of probable cause,” Mr. Silvio told senators. “[But] from an intelligence standpoint, the existence of prior investigations remains relevant for longitudinal risk assessment and interagency awareness.”

Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said Mr. Sy’s ties to the mining industry and allegations questioning his Filipino citizenship should be examined by the Senate, which had earlier investigated dismissed mayor Alice L. Guo. She was accused of being a Chinese spy with links to crime syndicates, and a trial court sentenced her to life imprisonment in November after finding her guilty of human trafficking.

“This case reflects a broader pattern that this Senate has already begun to uncover,” she said in a statement. “We have seen foreign fugitives, economic criminals, and syndicate-linked individuals exploit weaknesses in our documentation systems.”

Mr. Sy, who attended the Senate hearing, invoked his right to “remain silent,” citing a pending case against him.

“Because of my ongoing case in CA, I apologize for I have to invoke my right to remain silent,” he told senators.

“Our agency continues to monitor Joseph Sy in coordinating with partner agencies strictly within the bounds of laws, and such monitoring is precautionary in nature and aimed at detecting potential foreign interference risk,” said Mr. Silvio.

Lawmakers are seeking to toughen Philippine anti‑espionage laws amid a deepening territorial dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea, which has stirred growing concern. Authorities earlier this year arrested several Chinese nationals suspected of spying on military bases and government facilities.

In the same hearing, the BI said it is moving to cancel the Philippine passport and initiate deportation proceedings against Mr. Sy.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado told the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights at a hearing on Monday that Mr. Sy shares the same fingerprints as a Chinese national named Chen Zhong Zhen.

Mr. Viado said records also indicate that Mr. Chen had admitted that he is also Mr. Sy. “He is not Filipino. As a matter of fact, Mr. Chen Zhong Zhen has an admission on record that he is Joseph Sy. One and the same person,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Mr. Sy, who appeared at the Senate hearing, declined to confirm whether he is the same individual as Mr. Chen. He also refrained from answering several questions from senators, including details such as his birthplace and educational background.

Mr. Sy was the chairman of listed mining company Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. (FNI). He has reportedly taken a leave of absence following the recent allegations.

FNI did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

The Senate inquiry follows allegations of false identity against Mr. Sy, including claims that his son holds both Chinese and Philippine passports and two birth certificates bearing different parental details.

In February 2015, an earlier deportation case against Mr. Sy was dismissed by the BI after his Philippine citizenship was presumed based on documents submitted at the time.

However, Mr. Viado said the dismissal was based on preliminary, or prima facie, evidence, which the agency later reassessed following additional verification.

“The basis for the dismissal was a presumption of his being a citizen due to the evidence presented. But this evidence is only prima facie. It can be overturned by contradictory evidence or by challenging the credibility of the initially presented evidence, which we were able to do later on,” he said. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio and Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel