The Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ruled that Joseph C. Sy, president of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI), is a Filipino citizen and ordered his immediate release from the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) custody.
In a decision by Branch 271, the court granted Sy’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus, thus declaring that the BI had no jurisdiction to detain or deport him. The RTC stressed that deportation applies only to aliens, citing the doctrine established in Chua Hiong v. Deportation Board.
The ruling noted that Sy’s citizenship had already been upheld in previous proceedings by the BI, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Office of the President, and the Supreme Court. It added that Sy’s birth certificate and Philippine passports were superior evidence compared to the Alien Certificate of Registration card relied upon by the BI.
Counsels for Sy welcomed the decision, calling it a reminder that “Filipino citizenship cannot be stripped away by speculation, recycled cases, or administrative overreach.”
FNI, in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, confirmed that the BI has appealed the RTC’s ruling. The company said Sy’s legal team maintains that the decision is immediately executory and will continue pursuing remedies to secure his liberty.
FNI also assured stakeholders that its operations remain stable and unaffected by the case.
Do you think the court’s ruling will set a stronger precedent against questionable deportation cases in the Philippines?
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