Following the accusation against former Chinese-Filipino mayor Guo Huaping for holding forged Philippine identity documents, Chinese-Filipino tycoon and chairman of Global Ferronickel Holdings (FNI) Shi Zhenzhong has been arrested for allegedly forging his Philippine nationality. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration is preparing deportation procedures against him.
● Arrested Upon Return from Hong Kong, Alleged National Security Concerns
According to the Philippine Chinese Daily, on August 21, Shi Zhenzhong was arrested upon his arrival at Manila International Airport on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong. Although he carried a Philippine passport issued in 2021 and other Philippine identification documents, the Bureau of Immigration's fingerprint recognition found that his fingerprints were an exact match with the records of Chen Zhong Zhen, a 60-year-old Chinese citizen who holds a long-term visa and an alien registration certificate. Based on this intelligence, the Bureau concluded that his Philippine nationality was forged.
Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Sandoval stated: "We have already identified key individuals and are investigating influential people. Our concerns are now beyond just details; it has reached the level of national security... If anyone is involved in protecting or assisting him, these will be exposed in follow-up investigations."
Shi Zhenzhong's company released a statement asserting that Mr. Shi holds a valid Philippine passport, claiming the accusations lack legal basis and demanding his release.
● Mining Groups Call for Release
The Philippine Nickel Industry Association called the arrest action unjust and unfair, emphasizing that Shi Zhenzhong had already been confirmed as a Philippine citizen in previous immigration case reviews. However, the Bureau of Immigration stated that the circumstances of this case are different.
The Philippine Coast Guard stated that it has removed a Chinese-Filipino businessman from its auxiliary forces for falsely declaring his nationality.
Regarding Shi Zhenzhong's alleged forged nationality, Philippine House of Representatives member Cabatbat raised concerns about Shi's identity as early as October 2024, saying he had obtained relevant evidence 10 years ago.
It is reported that Shi Zhenzhong's ancestral hometown is Jinjiang, Fujian, China. According to Jinjiang official media, he went to the Philippines at the age of 17, started as a wood factory apprentice, then engaged in timber trading, and later entered the nickel mining and smelting sector. He currently serves as a director and chairman of the International Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
According to reports, Shi's Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI) owns the world's largest single nickel mine in the Philippines, spanning 4,300 hectares with 500 million tonnes in reserves and an annual output of over 6 million tonnes. It is the country's second-largest mining group.
FNI reportedly has a market value of 8 billion pesos (592 million ringgit). Founded on May 3, 1994, it is a publicly listed company involved in nickel mining, logistics, cement and steel, and port operations.