MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ordered the immediate release of businessman Joseph Cue Sy after posting a ₱900,000 bond, directing Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials to comply with the order while stressing that the ruling does not resolve questions surrounding his citizenship and identity.
In a resolution dated Oct. 7, 2026, the High Court's First Division granted a writ of preliminary mandatory injunction in consolidated cases involving Sy’s detention and ordered Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado and other immigration officials to release him upon proof that the required bond had been posted.
The Court also directed the respondents to submit a written compliance report within 24 hours after his release.
The cases stemmed from petitions involving Dante R. Bravo, who sought relief on Sy’s behalf, and a separate petition filed by Viado and other BI officials against Bravo. The Court consolidated the two cases and assigned them to the member-in-charge of the lower-numbered case.
In a statement on Monday, Oct. 12, Viado said the BI respected the Supreme Court’s resolution and was coordinating with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to ensure the prompt and orderly implementation of the directive.
