ATM calls for annulment of Sy’s mining contracts

Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) called on government to review the mining contracts entered into by billionaire Joseph Sy and consider the possibility of annulling these contracts in light of Sy’s assailed Filipino citizenship.

Jaybee Garganera, ATM National Coordinator, said, “The validity of the Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSAs) of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI) and its subsidiaries are now put into question considering Sy was violating Philippine laws as Chair of FNI.”

Garganera added that “the violative mining practices of Sy’s companies in Surigao and Palawan and the call of local communities to stop destructive mining operations in the areas should likewise compel the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to review these contracts, and if found to be non-compliant with existing laws or if they have violated environmental regulations, then consequently cancel them.”

“Sy’s misrepresentation as a Filipino citizen is a questionable behavior of a leader of the mining industry.  It begs the question how widespread this dummy corporation approach is being practiced in mining here in the Philippines and casts serious doubt on the claim of ‘responsible mining’ touted by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP),” he said.

Garganera also called on the Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative of the Philippine (EITI-PH) led by the Department of Finance (DOF) and DENR, to strengthen its monitoring function by implementing a wide and deep study on Beneficial Ownership of mining and other extractive industries.

“If the case of Sy is just a tip of the iceberg, then we are severely impaling our natural security when illegal aliens and foreign entities are the actual owners of our natural resources, which is prohibited by the 1987 Constitution,” he said.

FNI’s website states that FNI’s subsidiaries include Platinum Group Metals Corporation (PGMC), Surigao Integrated Resources Corporation, PGMC-CNEP Shipping Services Corp., and PGMC International Limited.

FNI operates the Cagdianao Mine in Surigao and the Ipilan Nickel Mine in Palawan, both under PGMC. Local communities and environmental advocates in Surigao and Palawan have accused the mining companies of circumventing laws and destroying the environment.

Sy was apprehended on August 21 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for using a Philippine passport and other local identity cards when he was allegedly a Chinese citizen.

According to news reports, Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado has stated that Sy was the subject of an investigation based on intelligence reports suggesting he had illegally acquired citizenship documents.

A BI Certification stated that the fingerprints of Joseph Sy in his Philippine Passport and the Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card of Chen, Zhong Zhen is verified as one and the same person.

Garganera earlier said that Sy’s misrepresentation has “serious implications in our natural resources management as it may involve Chinese manipulation and abuse of mining here in our country.”

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