MANILA — Businessman Joseph Sy, chairman of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., has been expelled from the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) after authorities confirmed he allegedly misrepresented his citizenship—a move that the Coast Guard said was necessary to protect the integrity of its volunteer ranks.
“With the recent development, he has been delisted immediately from the PCGA roster of members and shall henceforth be unauthorized to present himself as a PCGA member, wear the PCGA uniform, and use the auxiliary rank,” PCG Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Civil Relations Service (CG-7) Captain Lejanie Dy said in a statement Tuesday.
Dy described Sy’s misrepresentation as “a serious breach of law, trust, and a violation of the core values upheld by the agency.”
“His conduct has discredited the name and integrity of the PCGA as the PCG’s civilian volunteer arm, and as such, thus he must be delisted immediately,” Dy added.
The delisting came after the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported that Sy—also known as Chen Zhong Zhen—was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Aug. 21 for allegedly posing as a Filipino. Authorities said he was found carrying a Philippine passport issued in 2021 and multiple government IDs identifying him as a Filipino citizen. However, BI’s Alien Registration Division confirmed that his fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national who previously held a long-term visa and Alien Certificate Registration Identity Card.
The PCG clarified that the Auxiliary, its civilian volunteer arm, is limited to civic activities such as disaster response, relief operations, and coastal cleanups, and does not handle law enforcement or gain access to critical installations.
Sy had joined the PCGA Executive Squadron in 2018 with endorsements and documents showing proof of Filipino citizenship. Dy said his membership was retained then based on submitted records and his standing as a community leader.
In light of the controversy, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has ordered tighter vetting of Auxiliary applicants and closer coordination with intelligence agencies to “cleanse its ranks.” Several members were already delisted earlier this year for failing security checks or submitting incomplete requirements.
The case has also drawn the attention of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA), which expressed support for Sy.
“Mr. Sy is a Filipino citizen whose rights are guaranteed under the Constitution. His citizenship has already been affirmed by Philippine authorities, in particular by the BI in two separate rulings,” the group said in a statement.
Under Republic Act No. 9993, or the PCG Law of 2009, the Coast Guard is empowered to organize, train, and supervise the Auxiliary to support its mandate./PN
