Local mining associations are calling for the immediate release of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI) chairman Joseph Sy, who was arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) on 21 August 2025 over alleged misrepresentation of his citizenship.
Sy, currently detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, was intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 after arriving from Hong Kong. The BI claims he falsely identified himself as Filipino, citing a fingerprint match to a Chinese national with prior residency documentation. Deportation proceedings are reportedly underway.
However, key industry groups have condemned the arrest as unlawful and inconsistent with previous government rulings affirming Sy’s Filipino citizenship. The Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) and the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) issued separate statements decrying the arrest as a violation of due process and damaging to investor confidence.
PNIA labeled the detention “legally inconsistent,” noting BI itself had twice confirmed Sy’s citizenship, calling the arrest “a grave injustice.”
COMP, whose member Platinum Group Metals Corp. is affiliated with FNI, warned that Sy’s arrest “sends a chilling signal” to investors and undermines the Philippines’ position as a reliable source of critical minerals.
FNI also denounced the detention, asserting that Sy is a Filipino citizen as affirmed by multiple rulings from agencies including the Department of Justice, Supreme Court, and Office of the President. The company said Sy entered the country using a valid Philippine passport recognized as official proof of nationality.
Despite the controversy, FNI said its operations remain stable and unaffected.
