Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — A Taguig City court has ordered the release of businessman Joseph Sy, or Chen Zhong Zhen, who was arrested last month for allegedly misrepresenting himself as a Filipino, according to the Bureau of Immigration. </p><p>The order, signed by Presiding Judge Esperanza M. Cortes of the Regional Trial Court Branch 221 of Taguig City, granted the petition for habeas corpus filed by Chen’s camp.</p><p>The order cited lack of jurisdiction and ordered Chen’s release from BI custody.</p><p>The BI, however, maintained that there is strong evidence against Chen, including biometric records. </p><p>The immigration bureau said it has appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals.</p><p>Chen, chairman of the mining company Global Ferronickel Holdings, was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/22/-fake-filipino-arrested-at-naia-1734">arrested </a>last August 21 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after the agency received a tip from an intelligence sources that the businessman uses illegally-acquired Philippine documents.</p><p>Sen. Risa Hontiveros last week <a href="http://Businessman Joseph Sy is Chinese based on BI certification — Hontiveros">presented </a>before the Senate that the BI certification proves that businessman Joseph Sy and Chinese citizen Chen Zhong Zhen are the same.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/8/25/mining-group-calls-for-release-of-businessman-held-by-immigration-1939">Mining group calls for release of businessman held by Immigration as senator likens him to Alice Guo</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rfg1pHBE8Ug?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A <i>Taguig City court</i> has ordered the release of businessman Joseph Sy, or Chen Zhong Zhen, who was arrested last month for allegedly misrepresenting himself as a Filipino, according to the Bureau of Immigration.</p>

A Taguig City court has ordered the release of businessman Joseph Sy, or Chen Zhong Zhen, who was arrested last month for allegedly misrepresenting himself as a Filipino, according to the Bureau of Immigration.

Court orders release of businessman accused of being 'fake Filipino'

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Court orders release of businessman accused of being 'fake Filipino'

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 06, 2025 06:16 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 07, 2025 06:42 PM PHT

Read More:

Joseph Sy

Chen Zhong Zhen

Fake Filipino

BI

Bureau of Immigration

Deportation

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