Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI) Chairman Joseph Sy has recently been embroiled in controversy over allegations of falsifying Philippine nationality. FNI executive and lawyer Dante Bravo defended Sy in an interview, emphasizing that his nationality is completely legal, and his passport and related documents have been legally certified.
Joseph Sy, previously known as Chen Zhongzhen, was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on August 21, 2025, with a long-term visa and an alien card. The immigration bureau's fingerprint comparison matched those of a former Chinese citizen, raising further doubts.
Bravo criticized the arrest as "illegal," stating that Sy's nationality had been confirmed by the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) early on, and he did not violate the anti-"puppet law," accusing the immigration bureau of ignoring established determinations. He suspects the incident is related to FNI's acquisition dispute over the mining rights of Platinum Group Metals Corp (PGMC).
The Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) subsequently issued a statement calling for the immediate release of Joseph Sy, arguing that the case lacks legal basis and could damage the Philippine investment environment and foreign investor confidence.
Meanwhile, another political controversy has attracted public attention. Baste Duterte, son of the former president and acting mayor of Davao City, has been criticized for his luxurious attire. He was photographed visiting his father in The Hague wearing a $3,500 Prada coat, paired with a $3,950 Dior saddle bag, and a luxury brand watch, with the total outfit costing nearly 450,000 pesos. Netizens mocked his family's "vault being bigger than the bedroom," comparing the Duterte family with other politically and commercially influential families controversial for their lavish lifestyles and government contract issues.
The nationality controversy involving Joseph Sy and the ostentation dispute of the Duterte family highlight the sensitive entanglements of identity, wealth, and power in the Philippine political and business circles. As the storm continues, there are concerns that the underlying systemic flaws and social contradictions are just beginning to surface.
