THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it is coordinating with law enforcement agencies to implement a Supreme Court directive to release former Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc. (FNI) Chairman Joseph C. Sy, while stressing that the order does not resolve questions about his Philippine citizenship.
“We are coordinating with the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General to ensure the prompt and orderly implementation of the Court’s directive,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado said in a statement on Monday.
Mr. Viado noted the case before the high court involves an appeal in a petition for habeas corpus, which concerns the legality of Mr. Sy’s detention rather than a determination of his citizenship.
Mr. Sy was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in August 2025 after immigration authorities said his fingerprints matched those of Chen Zhong Zhen, a Chinese national who was the subject of BI certifications that also faced scrutiny in the Senate.
The BI previously questioned whether Mr. Sy misrepresented his nationality and improperly obtained Philippine identity documents.
The Court of Appeals ruled in February that Mr. Sy’s detention was illegal, saying his birth certificate supported his claim to Philippine citizenship. The BI challenged the ruling through the Office of the Solicitor General.
Mr. Viado said the bureau had acted within its mandate to investigate immigration status, identity and citizenship records, adding that the legal issues arising from the investigation remain subject to judicial determination. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking