Businessman Joseph Sy appeared before the Senate for the first time on Monday after being accused of falsifying his Filipino citizenship, prompting some lawmakers to refer to him as “Alice Guo 2.0.”
Sy, chairman of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., is facing allegations that he is a Chinese national using the name Chen Zhong Zhen or Shi Zhenzong, based on fingerprint analysis conducted by the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
During the hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Justice and Human Rights, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros questioned Sy about his true identity, including his place of birth and where he was raised. However, Sy refused to answer the questions, invoking his right against self-incrimination.
Sy said he has a pending case before the Court of Appeals, which led him to remain silent during the proceedings.
“My ongoing case is in CA (Court of Appeals), so I can invoke my right to remain silent because there is already a case. My apologies,” Sy said during the Senate hearing.
The Senate panel said it will continue its investigation to verify documents and evidence related to Sy’s citizenship, as well as to determine possible implications for his business dealings and the enforcement of the country’s immigration laws.
