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BI to pursue issue on 'multiple identities' vs Joseph Sy of Global Ferronickel

Philippines | National

BI to pursue issue on 'multiple identities' vs Joseph Sy of Global Ferronickel

By Jeffrey Damicog

At A Glance

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Friday, March 27, vowed to pursue all legal remedies on the issue of “multiple identities” against Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. (FNI) chairman Joseph Sy.

“We will exhaust all legal remedies available to hold accountable those who attempt to deceive authorities through multiple identities,” said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado.

Viado said the BI has already sought the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to explore all legal remedies and ensure that the case against Sy is pursued to its fullest extent.

Last February, the Court of Appeals (CA) issued a decision which upheld the ruling of the Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) that granted the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus in favor of Sy’s release.

The BI arrested Sy on Aug. 21, 2025 upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) following a trip in Hong Kong after the bureau determined that he is Chinese national Chen Zhong Zhen.

Viado said that the BI has received the results of the fingerprint examinations conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) which show that the fingerprints of Sy and Chen Zhong Zhen are a match.

“With this development, we are looking at an open-and-shut case,” he also said.

He pointed out that “the fingerprint match provides conclusive proof of identity, and we are now taking the necessary legal steps to ensure that all appropriate charges and immigration actions are pursued.”

He noted that the fingerprints were obtained through NBI clearance records which provided strong forensic evidence that the two identities belong to one and the same person.

Related Tags

BI on multiple identities Joseph Sy Global Ferronickel

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