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Thursday, January 27, 2005
Mayor clears name of Taiwanese businessman
By Ben O. Tesiorna
* Says KTV bar owner has a number of "rackets", but not illegal drugs
* Reporter Quiros was the one who said there is threat to her security
DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte virtually cleared Taiwanese businessman Charlie Tan from involvement in illegal drugs after another local paper stood by its report on Tan's alleged involvement in the illegal activity.
In an interview Wednesday, Duterte admitted knowing Charlie Tan, the businessman's establishment being just next door to the mayor's favorite hang-out and his younger brother's bar--After Dark.
He said Tan could possibly be involved in any other business but not in illegal drugs.
"May mga raket iyan siya but not illegal drugs. You ask Judy (Quiros) baka may alam siya," Duterte said referring to Mindanao Daily reporter Judy Quiros who reported about Charlie Tan's alleged involvement in illegal drugs and his supposed death during the December 31 drug raid at the shabu laboratory in Dumoy, Toril.
Aside from owning the ET KTV Bar along Quimpo Boulevard, Matina, Tan is also into food and aquarium fish culture and trade, scrap metal import, and is embarking on imported used car sales.
Asked if Tan personally asked for help to clear his name on his alleged involvement on illegal drugs, Duterte said the businessman never approached him for any help.
Dead man walking
On their January 25 issue, the Mindanao Daily Mirror published a story stating that they are standing by their story on "Charlie Tan who was linked to an international drug syndicate".
Reports published in their January 5 and January 10 issues also say that Tan was among the six Asian-looking men killed in the raid of a shabu laboratory in Dumoy last December 31.
The January 5 report quotes an unnamed source saying he saw the body of Tan placed before Duterte and other police officials.
The January 10, issue that carried the contention of Tan's lawyer that the businessman is alive, the other newspaper quoted the unnamed source as saying, "I still maintain that Charlie Sy, alias Charlie Tan, manager of ET Videoke Bar in Ecoland, was one of the six bodies in the raid."
In Wednesday's issue, the other newspaper said, "The management maintained there is nothing to apologize for since the story involving Tan that appeared on its January 5, 2005 issue was based on information coming from a competent source of the Bureau of Immigration 11 and was confirmed by a police officer and a military officer."
"The news story was also written with a question mark indicating that it was not conclusive. As part of the rules and ethics of journalism, reporters, writers, editors and publishers respect the request of certain sources for confidentiality for their protection," the Mirror added.
Tan however denied the Mirror's allegations and appeared at the Mirror office twice, as well as, sought out Sun.Star Davao for an interview after his two visits to the other newspaper office to prove he is alive and to deny his involvement in drugs.
Tan acquiesced to Sun.Star's request to present identification documents before the interview started although he was accompanied by locals known to Sun.Star who attested he is indeed the Charlie Tan in the reports.
The Sun.Star article last January 24 carried Tan's contention that he is alive but sought out Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 11 chief Wilkins Villanueva's take on Tan's alleged involvement in illegal drugs.
In a phone call, Villanueva admitted he has checked on Tan and is still checking on him as they all do to people whose names are mentioned, in whatever way, in relation to drugs.
Villanueva was noncommittal saying such investigations are never-ending and confirming or denying today will not do their work any good.
"As far as PDEA is concerned, hindi sa amin galing ang information," Villanueva said when asked about the other paper's reports on Tan.
"Walang outright violation," was how Villanueva described their findings, so far, on Tan.
Unethical report
After its reports of Tan's death and his involvement in illegal drugs, the Mirror also accused this reporter of writing a baseless, false and unethical" story about Quiros's alleged going into hiding for security reasons.
This is in relation to Sun.Star Davao's January 26 issue entitled "Lady reporter in hiding for 'drug lord' report?"
This reporter quotes the Mirror on its January 25 issue, which stated, "the news story was also written with a question mark indicating that it was not conclusive."
As part of the rules and ethics of journalism, reporters, writers, editors and publishers respect the request of certain sources for confidentiality for their protection", this reporter invokes the same reason.
The question mark at the title clearly suggested that it was not conclusive.
What the Mirror failed to consider was that the information on the perceived threat against Quiros was texted to this reporter by Quiros herself.
Quiros also texted this reporter not to quote her because of this perceived threat.
"Medyo delikado security ko ngayon eh," Quiros said the morning of January 24.
Quiros declined to answer further questions prompting this reporter to think that indeed there was a threat and that she had exercised measures to avoid the threat.
But since there was no direct confirmation that she had indeed gone into hiding thus the question mark at the end of the title.
The Sun.Star story never intended to malign Ms. Quiros but to just report the perceived threat on her life.
In fact this reporter even suggested to her that if indeed there is a threat on her life she might as well seek Mayor Duterte's help.
"Huwag na lang marami lang madadamay eh," was her reply.For Bisaya stories from Davao.Click here.
(January 27, 2005 issue)
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