'Tan's brother blows last chance to become state witness'

MANILA, Philippines - Tycoon Lucio Tan’s younger brother, Mariano Tanenglian has blown his last chance to become a state witness and be granted immunity in the government’s ill-gotten wealth case against his brother, according to the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Lawyer Ricardo Abcede, PCGG commissioner for asset management, told The STAR Tanenglian has again failed to present himself two weeks after they gave him an ultimatum to discuss his offer to be a state witness.

“It’s the inevitable consequence of his failure to present himself before us to discuss what he offers to give as his testimony,” he said.

Abcede said Tanenglian’s failure to appear before the PCGG represented the fifth time he has done so after about four verbal invitations, and one formal invitation letter.

“That’s already too much,” he said. “We can’t wait for him forever.”

Abcede said it was Tanenglian’s counsel, Raymond Quiroz, who again showed up at the PCGG last week to discuss the offer for his client to be a state witness.

The rejection of Tanenglian’s offer to be a state witness will be discussed when the PCGG meets en banc after the holidays, he added.

Abcede pointed out Tanenglian must convince the PCGG that what he has to say will be vital to the government’s case.

“The Office of the Solicitor General had earlier arrived at the conclusion that Mr. Tanenglian could not be utilized as a state witness in the sequestration cases involving Mr. Lucio Tan, apparently because the information that he had provided, or was willing to provide, was deemed by the OSG to be not sufficient nor substantial as to warrant the grant of immunity from suit that Mr. Tanenglian wanted in exchange for whatever disclosures he was willing to make,” he said.

The PCGG is wary that Tanenglian might use his offer to become a state witness as leverage with his elder brother with whom he is reportedly engaged in a bitter family squabble, Abcede said. – Rainier Allan Ronda