Hunt for Dante Tan becoming a challenge

The hunt for fugitive Filipino businessman Dante Tan has turned out to be a challenge for the authorities who are now getting confused by the number of information they have been getting.

Justice Undersecretary Merceditas Gutierrez admitted yesterday that officials are getting various information on Tan’s supposed whereabouts.

Gutierrez, however, clarified she has no information that Tan fled to Germany as claimed by sources from the Bureau of Immigration.

Tan was initially reported to have flown to Singapore from Australia where he is embroiled in an apparent bribery scandal.

Gutierrez cited her own sources indicating Tan was neither in Singapore nor Germany but she refused to elaborate.

"We are trying to verify all these information. We will study what we can do to get him back. We have no extradition treaty with Germany or Singapore," she told The STAR.

Gutierrez, who earlier expressed optimism Tan could be captured through international cooperation, explained it is really tough to catch someone who has all the money and influence to travel by using different identities and travel documents.

As long as Tan remains mobile, the government might have to exert all efforts to have the businessman arrested and repatriated to face charges, Gutierrez said.

Australia has also issued a global alert for Tan who managed to secure a business visa and residency after reportedly donating Australian $10,000 (US$6,700) to a political party.

Tan is also wanted by local authorities for stock manipulation in 1999.

Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said Canberra was considering whether to strip Tan of his Australian citizenship after discovering he was also wanted in the Philippines.

Gutierrez has earlier admitted Philippine officials never knew that Tan was in Australia.

When news about Tan’s whereabouts broke out in the papers and on the Internet, the Filipino businessman may have been alerted and made his escape, she said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) sought the help of the International Police (Interpol) to track down Tan.

Gutierrez assured that the Philippines can ask assistance from other countries even without an extradition treaty.

The DOJ filed criminal charges against Tan and two brokers in December 2000 over the alleged price manipulation of BW Corp. shares, which has since moved from gaming into property and been renamed Fairmont Holdings Inc.

Tan, then the majority share owner of BW, was a close friend of jailed former President Joseph Estrada.

Estrada, who is in custody and being tried for economic plunder and perjury after being ousted by a popular uprising in January 2001, has also been accused of profiting from BW shares. He has denied all charges against him.