By Glazyl Y. Masculino and Dolly Yasa
TALISAY City, Negros Occ. – The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 in Iloilo City has cleared former Councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan from any links to illegal drugs.
This was announced by Tan when he faced the members of the media at their family owned Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Sunday, two years after he kept distance from the public eye.
Tan issued an official statement dismissing all the accusations against him and informing the public of his past and current state.
Tan revealed that former PRO-6 director Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan issued a certification dated August 20, 2020, stating that the information allegedly linking him and the family to the illegal drug trade has not been substantiated by concrete evidence.
“Please be informed that as per report from the concerned offices under my jurisdiction, the information allegedly linking you and your family in the illegal drug trade has not been substantiated by concrete evidence as of this date,” Pamuspusan said in his letter to the former councilor.
This was the reply of PRO-6 in Tan’s letter dated August 6, 2020, requesting for an issuance of clearance and/or certification clearing his name and that of his family from any links or participation to any alleged illegal drug trade activities.
Tan’s legal counsel, Atty. Andre Norman Saril said they just released the certification yesterday because it was given to them during the height of the pandemic last year.
Saril said that many law enforcement government agencies were involved in the validation of Tan’s name.
“It’s no joke, until they were able to officially make a certification clearing my client’s name from the said allegations,” the lawyer added.
Tan was previously linked to the illegal drug trade after reports circulated through text messages that there was a drug raid on his resort in August 2016, an allegation which he already denied.
In fact, Tan even acquired certifications from various law enforcement agencies clearing him of involvement in any illegal drug activity and stating that he has no criminal record.
Despite this, Tan was again put into the limelight in January 2019 when President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned him during his visit here identifying him as a high-value target ranked fourth on the watchlist.
Prior to that, Tan, along with his wife survived an ambush perpetrated by unidentified men in December 2018.
Tan’s brother, who was also being linked to the drug trade, was gunned down in December 2019, a case which he described as a brutal assassination of his brother.
Tan said these events made his world crumbled and shattered, as if it was already the end of everything. Tan said that he was a victim of fake news. “It destroyed my life. It destroyed my family. It ruined me,” he added.
Tan said that the issue linking him to illegal drugs is an “amaranhig” issue that would usually come out during election period.
Amalanhig are creatures in Visayan mythology, particularly among Hiligaynon speaking groups. Amalanhig are aswangs or flesh-eating creatures who failed to transfer their monstrosity causing them to rise from their graves to kill humans by biting their necks.
But with this recent development, Tan said that he is now clear from any derogatory records, stressing that he is not a drug lord and had never been one. “That is official. That is final. My name is clean sa tanan nga akusasyon kontra sa akon,” he added.
In fact, he thanked Duterte for ordering the validation and re-validation of the accusations against him, which resulted in the clearing of his name. Tan said that his wife and son met Duterte when he visited here, but did not disclose when, adding that he has no grudges against the president.
“For more than one year and a half, living under fear of sleepless nights and constant uncertainty, I am now happy to go back to my normal life kag mag upod sa akon mga apo, mag atubang sa amon mga employees and entertain friends in the safe comfort of our home,” he said.
Although he is now clear from any allegations, Tan said that he will not be complacent, and will always give importance to his security and his family.
“I was a victim of fake news,” Tan said.
He lamented that the ambush against him and his wife was a result of “fake news”, referring to the false claims against him that he allegedly maintained a shabu laboratory.
Tan said he had never been involved in any illegal activity and that his wealth was a product of hard work.
“I am not a drug lord. I have never been a drug lord, I have not done anything wrong against the government, I’m innocent,” he added.
Tan said the accusations and lies against him were not only hurtful to him, but to his family.
“I suffered the greatest pain in my life, the pain of being separated from my family, and the pain of being wrongfully judged,” Tan said.
Meanwhile, Tan also clarified that they still own Campuestohan, contrary to rumors that it was already sold and owned by somebody else. “They again peddled lies by saying nga kuno ang Campuestohan Highland Resort gin baligya ko na sa isa ka dako nga pamilya diri sa Negros. That news is a bunch of garbage, everything that we have now, we started from scratch,” he said.
On his possible comeback in the May 2022 elections, Tan said that he will focus his time with his family, although he said that he still wants to serve the public.
“Yes, I want to serve our people. But for now, I don’t have any plans in politics. I have done my share for the people of Bacolod and the city that has given me so much. For now, I would rather focus my time on my family kag sa akon mga negosyo,” he said.
With everything that happened, Tan said that he had forgiven those who have wronged him. ” Let me be your last victim. Enough is enough. From my end, I have forgiven you already,” he said.
