RP to seek int’l help to catch Dante Tan

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is confident the Philippines can catch elusive Filipino businessman Dante Tan, wanted for the largest insider trading case in the country’s history.

Justice Undersecretary Merceditas Gutierrez said yesterday the government will ask foreign governments for assistance in tracking Tan down.

"We are counting on the cooperation of the other countries. We hope they will give up Tan," she said.

Gutierrez said there is no official information yet as to where Tan fled after leaving Australia but there are reports that he is now in Singapore, with which the Philippines has no extradition treaty.

The justice official refused to divulge the government’s moves to capture Tan even in countries without an extradition treaty.

She earlier said Tan "could be looking for a country where we do not have an extradition treaty but his problem is that he does not have the needed travel documents," referring to the no-visa requirement in Singapore, being a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Gutierrez said even without an extradition agreement, one country can ask the authorities of another country for the custody of a certain person, in order for that person to face charges leveled against him or her.

Earlier, Australia issued a global alert for Tan when he fled Australia amid charges he obtained a residency visa from a government minister after making a political donation.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said Canberra was considering stripping Tan of his Australian citizenship after discovering he was wanted in the Philippines for alleged price manipulation of BW Resources stock in 1999.

Ruddock has had to fend off questions over Tan’s acquisition of an Australian business visa in 1998. Tan was subsequently granted a resident visa. He has acknowledged that Tan donated A$10,000 (US$6,500) to his election campaign.

Shortly after Tan’s political donation became public this week, Tan left Australia on a flight to Singapore.

Gutierrez said they submitted a request for Tan’s provisional arrest to Australian authorities.

"Wherever he is, we will try our best to get him back," she said.

Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo said they have a report indicating Tan fled to Singapore.

Immigration officials are now coordinating with their Singaporean counterparts to determine the whereabouts of the elusive Filipino businessman, she said.

A hold departure order on Tan was issued as early as Feb. 14, 2001, according to Immigration Regulation Division chief Gary Mendoza.

Immigration authorities began a massive auditing of all passenger manifests submitted to them since 2001 to find out how Tan escaped.

Tan, a close ally of ousted President Joseph Estrada, left for Australia two years ago.

"We are trying to find out how he managed to slip out of the country. I have assigned Mendoza to make a compilation of all the records we have of a Dante Tan leaving the country," Domingo said.

Mendoza’s investigation includes all air and sea ports. Domingo said there is a possibility Tan left the country using a yacht or private plane, and then sought refuge in Australia where he has a resident visa.

Domingo explained that with a resident visa, Australian authorities would not ask Tan why he did not have a Philippine exit stamp on his passport.

In Canberra, Ruddock said Interpol has been alerted to look out for Tan and Australian federal police were in contact with their Philippine counterparts.

He also denied any impropriety in the granting of visas to Tan, and in accepting his political donation.

Ruddock earlier said they were powerless to stop Tan from leaving the country since Australia has not received an extradition request from the Philippines.