MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday raised a national security alarm following the arrest of an alleged fake Filipino who managed to join the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA).

Hontiveros wants Senate to probe Chinese who pretended to be Filipino

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) recently detained businessman Joseph Sy for reportedly holding fraudulently-acquired Philippine documents.

The senator likened Sy's arrest to the case of Alice Guo. Guo was elected as Bamban, Tarlac mayor in May 2022 but she was removed from office by the Ombudsman after a series of congressional inquiries revealed she is Chinese.

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The Ombudsman removed Guo as mayor on August 13, 2024 for grave misconduct for her involvement in illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators in Tarlac.

"Although the PCGA is voluntary and non-government, it is quite concerning that Sy managed to access people and events during which national security was discussed," Hontiveros said in Filipino.

Hontiveros wants Senate to probe Chinese who pretended to be Filipino

“If this businessman is indeed a Chinese national masquerading as Filipino, the Senate must immediately probe his affiliations, background, and the circumstances under which he obtained his Philippine documents," she said in a statement.

"We should look into who enabled him and how deep his network goes,” Hontiveros added.