Bacolod trader in Duterte’s narco list cleared

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A local businessman and former councilor of this city, who was earlier included in President Duterte’s narco list, has been cleared of involvement in illegal drug activities.

Duterte approved on July 31 a recommendation of the inter-agency drug information database committee, clearing Ricardo Tan of illegal drug charges.

In a memorandum signed on Aug. 11, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año certified that Tan’s name was removed from the inter-agency drug information database.

Tan, who owns the Campuestuhan Highland Resort in nearby Talisay City, and his wife Nita survived an ambush in Barangay Alangilan in December 2018.

A month after the ambush, Duterte linked Tan to the illegal drug trade, saying the businessman had Senior Supt. Francis Ebreo, former chief of the Bacolod City, as protector.

Ebreo was also cleared of drug charges by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“The President has spoken. He gave me absolute freedom. I stand proud now before the public as a vindicated man,” Tan said on Saturday. “Justice has been served, and the buck stops here.”

Tan is running for councilor as an independent candidate in next year’s elections.