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Advocates Philippines
'Outdoes Alice Guo': Hontiveros Alleges 'Deep Chinese Espionage' Through Businessman Sy's Son
Photo credit: Risa Hontiveros
Senator Risa Hontiveros made a startling claim on Wednesday, Oct. 1, presenting what she calls undeniable evidence that sophisticated Chinese sleeper agents are deeply entrenched in the Philippines, operating under cover of fraudulent citizenship.
The senator's privilege speech focused on Johnson Cai Chen, the son of controversial businessman Joseph Sy. Sy himself was detained in August after his fingerprints allegedly matched those of a Chinese national named Chen Zhong Zhen.
According to Hontiveros, the son is allegedly involved in an even more elaborate deception.
Two Passports, Two Birth Certificates: A Case of 'Deep Espionage'
Hontiveros revealed that Johnson Cai Chen, who also goes by Johnson Chua Sy, is allegedly using two active passports—one Filipino and one Chinese—and two different birth certificates with conflicting details.
She highlighted that this situation is a clear red flag, especially since China does not permit dual citizenship. The ability of Sy's son to hold both Chinese and Filipino travel documents simultaneously points directly to high-level fraud and possible official collusion.
"This Johnson Cai Chen or Johnson Sy, has TWO PASSPORTS, one Chinese and one Filipino, and TWO BIRTH CERTIFICATES! He has surely outdone Alice Guo!" Hontiveros declared, referencing the highly publicized case of the former Bamban Mayor.
The senator presented documents showing the discrepancies. One birth certificate, registered in 1995, listed his father as a Chinese national named Chen Zhong Zhen. A second document, acquired via late registration in 2014, listed the father as a Filipino citizen named Joseph Cue Sy.
Linked to Malign Foreign Interference (MIFI)
Hontiveros stressed that these "irregularities are not accidental." They allegedly reflect a system that enables "influence agents to move between identities and jurisdictions at will," which she identified as a classic tactic of malign foreign interference.
The senator explicitly linked Joseph Sy to Malign Influence and Foreign Interference (MIFI) activities, citing intelligence reports. She connected Sy to the Hongman Association, which she described as an alleged criminal syndicate with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
"Let us not be naïve. These are not isolated cases. These are coordinated operations to weaken our sovereignty and bend our leaders to foreign interests," Hontiveros warned.
Call for National Security Action
With the father detained and facing deportation, and the son now implicated in fraudulent citizenship, Hontiveros urged the Philippine government to take immediate and decisive action.
She called for stronger safeguards against espionage, tighter scrutiny of all questionable citizenship cases, and urgent national security reforms to combat foreign interference.
"Chinese sleeper agents are already here. They are not just influencing politics, but also our economy and society. If we do not act decisively, we risk losing control of our own future," she concluded.
The senator's privilege speech focused on Johnson Cai Chen, the son of controversial businessman Joseph Sy. Sy himself was detained in August after his fingerprints allegedly matched those of a Chinese national named Chen Zhong Zhen.
According to Hontiveros, the son is allegedly involved in an even more elaborate deception.
Two Passports, Two Birth Certificates: A Case of 'Deep Espionage'
Hontiveros revealed that Johnson Cai Chen, who also goes by Johnson Chua Sy, is allegedly using two active passports—one Filipino and one Chinese—and two different birth certificates with conflicting details.
She highlighted that this situation is a clear red flag, especially since China does not permit dual citizenship. The ability of Sy's son to hold both Chinese and Filipino travel documents simultaneously points directly to high-level fraud and possible official collusion.
"This Johnson Cai Chen or Johnson Sy, has TWO PASSPORTS, one Chinese and one Filipino, and TWO BIRTH CERTIFICATES! He has surely outdone Alice Guo!" Hontiveros declared, referencing the highly publicized case of the former Bamban Mayor.
The senator presented documents showing the discrepancies. One birth certificate, registered in 1995, listed his father as a Chinese national named Chen Zhong Zhen. A second document, acquired via late registration in 2014, listed the father as a Filipino citizen named Joseph Cue Sy.
Linked to Malign Foreign Interference (MIFI)
Hontiveros stressed that these "irregularities are not accidental." They allegedly reflect a system that enables "influence agents to move between identities and jurisdictions at will," which she identified as a classic tactic of malign foreign interference.
The senator explicitly linked Joseph Sy to Malign Influence and Foreign Interference (MIFI) activities, citing intelligence reports. She connected Sy to the Hongman Association, which she described as an alleged criminal syndicate with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
"Let us not be naïve. These are not isolated cases. These are coordinated operations to weaken our sovereignty and bend our leaders to foreign interests," Hontiveros warned.
Call for National Security Action
With the father detained and facing deportation, and the son now implicated in fraudulent citizenship, Hontiveros urged the Philippine government to take immediate and decisive action.
She called for stronger safeguards against espionage, tighter scrutiny of all questionable citizenship cases, and urgent national security reforms to combat foreign interference.
"Chinese sleeper agents are already here. They are not just influencing politics, but also our economy and society. If we do not act decisively, we risk losing control of our own future," she concluded.
Oct 2, 2025
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