Joselito Malig

Article (news)

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Senators on Monday called out the Philippine Statistics Authority for its slow response to fraudulent registration records of foreign nationals in the country.During a hearing by the Senate Committee on Justice, lawmakers called out the PSA in relation to the case of Joseph Sy, a Chinese national who allegedly obtained a Filipino birth certificate and is supposedly opening mining businesses in Palawan illegally.In the same hearing, the senators also questioned the PSA why the case of Sy, who is allegedly involved in illegal mining operations in Brooke&#x27;s Point in Palawan, was only endorsed to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) this March. They, however, rejected the PSA&#x27;s explanation.During the hearing, PSA Legal Service Director III Eliezer Ambatali explained they conduct a thorough investigation which involved going to the local civil registry offices and the examination of documents. Ambatali said they even went to the parishes to check baptismal certificates.  They only finished work Sy&#x27;s case last February, which is why his case was only endorsed to the office of the Solicitor General this month.Sen. Risa Hontiveros reminded the PSA that irregularities in Sy&#x27;s birth certificate were already noted last year.&quot;Pero Atty. Ambatali, the authority told this committee, December pa po, the authority already said under oath na may irregularities ang birth certificate, ang late registration no, ni Mr. Joseph Sy. At nag-commit na ang authority noon sa committee nito na ire-rekomenda nyo na sa OSG ang pag-cancela noon,&quot; she said.&quot;So, kumbaga, yung mga steps na dinescribe niyo ngayon, nagawa niyo na yon before you came to this committee  to tell us na ire-rekomenda niyo sa OSG para i-cancel-an dahil nga may irregularities. So, bakit? Bakit March lang in-endorse sa OSG? Why did it take three months? A quarter of a year?&quot; Hontiveros asked.Ambatali explained: &quot;Yes, Your Honor. We understand that there&#x27;s a delay. But when we endorse to the Office of the Solicitor General, we want to make sure that all the documents to be submitted, attached to the letter of endorsement are already there.&quot;In response, Hontiveros said she was &quot;mystified.&quot;&quot;How long does it take to do as the authority what you told the committee that you would do? Napaka-importante ng birth certificate na yan, Atty. Ambatali,&quot; she said. &quot;Exactly. How long does it usually take before the authority makes a finding of irregularity and says it will endorse to OSG for cancellation? How long does it really take before you actually endorse?&quot;&quot;So why didn&#x27;t the authority endorse this to OSG in January. Alam ng buong bansa ang kasong ito. Alam ng Brooke&#x27;s Point ang kasong ito. Alam ng private sector, they&#x27;re all concerned. Pati yung mga kababayan natin sa mining sector. Why didn&#x27;t you do it in January? Why didn&#x27;t you do it in February? Why did you wait until March? That&#x27;s this month,&quot; Hontiveros said.&quot;Yes, Your Honor. Actually, your honor, we only completed the acquisition of the relevant documents last...&quot; Ambatali responded.&quot;Dito na naman natin nakikita Madam Chair na meron na naman mga ika nga dito nakikita ng grey area itong mga lukuluko na mga may mga fake na birth certificates na foreign nationals. Because dito nagkakaproblema tayo sa OSG. Naantay yung mga dokumento para additional documents,&quot; Sen. Erwin Tulfo said.Sen. Raffy Tulfo also rejected the explanation.&quot;That&#x27;s why, Madam Chair, I&#x27;m going to pass a bill na yung cancellation ng mga birth certificate once na-investigate ng PSA in a spurious or fake. On their level lang, pwede nang kansilahin, huwag na pumunta pa sa OSG.&quot; Senator Raffy  Tulfo said.Meanwhile, in her opening remarks, Hontiveros stressed that the allegations against Sy go beyond the illegal mining in Palawan.&quot;In our last hearing at sa aming pag-uusap sa mga national security officials, it became clear that Joseph Sy was not just a former Chinese citizen who sought naturalization illegally for private ends, but that he was actively working for malign foreign interests. Kagaya ni Alice Guo, siya ay nataguriang agent of influence – ginagamit ang posisyon at impluwensya para sa interes ng ibang bansa.&quot;During the hearing, Ambatali enumerated the badges of fraud on Sy&#x27;s records, such as the use of a baptismal certificate that did not appear in the records of the parish; the affidavit of late registration which was notarized by a non-lawyer, and the absence of civil registry records for his parents. Even his son Johnson had questionable records because the midwife was unknown. Johnson&#x27;s case was also a matter of delayed registration.Meanwhile,  Brooke&#x27;s Point Vice Mayor Mary Jean Feliciano, then the mayor, said they have felt Sy&#x27;s influence over the community as she cited the lack of accountability the illegal cutting of trees and illegal mining.Feliciano said Sy&#x27;s company had operated illegally since day one.&quot;Yes po. Until now po, Madam Chair, wala silang mayor&#x27;s permit at nag-issue po ng cease and desist order ang aming punong bayan. Tuloy-tuloy po ang operation,&quot; Feliciano said.Sy, who was present during the hearing, declined to address the allegations.&quot;I have no comment because we have a professional management team,&quot; Sy said.Sy said that the nickel they mine from Brooke&#x27;s Point was being exported to China.&quot;Hindi naman only sa China, niya binta sa iba. Ngayon meron binta din sa sa Indonesia. Kasi yung mga processing plant sa Indonesia, mas marami,&quot; Sy said. &quot;I&#x27;m not sure. Kasi minsan through, mga trading company, sila nang mga biddng sa akin, sila nang nagaalam ko saan sa Indonesia o sa China, depende sa presyo.&quot;

Senators on Monday called out the Philippine Statistics Authority for its slow response to fraudulent registration records of foreign nationals in the country.

Senators on Monday called out the Philippine Statistics Authority for its slow response to fraudulent registration records of foreign nationals in the country.

Senators call out PSA for slow action vs fake birth records

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Senators call out PSA for slow action vs fake birth records

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 09, 2026 05:26 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Philippine Statistics Authority

Joseph Sy

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.