By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Former Bacolod City councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan has officially been cleared of any links to illegal drugs by the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
In a press conference held yesterday by Tan at the Campuestohan Resort in Talisay City, his first since the ambush against him and his wife in December of 2018, he provided a letter signed by former PRO-6 director, Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, clearing him and his family of any drug links.
“Please be informed that as per report from the concerned offices under my jurisdiction, the information allegedly linking you and your family in the illegal drug trade has not been substantiated by concrete evidence as of this date,” Pamuspusan said in his letter to the former councilor.
“I was a victim of fake news,” Tan said, pointing out the ambush against him and his wife was a result of fake news, referring to the false claims made against him that he allegedly maintained a shabu laboratory.
Tan said he had never been involved in any illegal activities and the wealth he has made in his life was all due to his hard work.
“I am not a drug lord. I have never been a drug lord, I have not done anything wrong against the government, I’m innocent,” he added.
Tan said the accusations and lies against him were not only hurtful to him, but also to his family.
“I suffered the greatest pain in my life, the pain of being separated from my family, and the pain of being wrongfully judged,” he said.
Tan also confirmed a meeting did indeed take place between his family and President Rodrigo Duterte.
It can be recalled that Duterte attended the birthday celebration of Yanson family matriarch, Olivia Yanson, in January of 2020, wherein it was reported that the Tan family had a private meeting with the president.
Tan said during the meeting, Duterte himself ordered the police to validate and revalidate all accusations against him.
The long revalidation process later resulted in the PRO-6 clearing him of the accusations.
Tan also said that he has forgiven everyone who had falsely accused him.
With his name now cleared, the former councilor said he currently has no plans to return to politics, but he is still willing to help people even though he is no longer in any elective post.
To recall, in February of 2019, Duterte accused Tan of links to illegal drugs.
The accusations against Tan just came just a few months after he and his wife were ambushed in Bacolod City’s Barangay Alangilan in December of 2018./DGB, WDJ