Tan wants wealth cases resolved

Growing impatient, business tycoon Lucio Tan has asked the Sandiganbayan to "expedite" the government’s several ill-gotten wealth cases against him, noting that these have dragged on for 17 years.

Through his lawyer former solicitor general Estelito Mendoza, Tan suggested the immediate pre-trial of the cases over his ownership of substantial shares in Allied Bank and Asia Brewery Inc., among his other companies.

The beer and tobacco magnate also lambasted the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) for its failure to present a clear strategy of prosecuting him since the case has remained dormant since September 2003.

"It is now about nine months from the time the last pleading in the case, yet the PCGG has not moved for the setting of the case for pre-trial notwithstanding the resolutions of the court," Tan’s six-page motion read.

"Considering that this case has been pending since 1987, to the prejudice of the defendants (Tan et al), and the apparent indifference of the PCGG to prosecute this case, we are constrained to move for pre-trial," it said.

Tan, branded as a Marcos crony, is being accused by the government of using his close ties with the family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos to get concessions from the martial law administration.

The taipan, who also manages flag-carrier Philippine Airlines, asked the anti-graft court to schedule a pre-trial of the cases at the "earliest time" convenient to the justices of the fifth division.

Tan’s co-accused in the case are former first lady Imelda Marcos, the late central bank governor Gregorio Licaros and 21 others. The PCGG said Tan and the other cronies were dummies of the late President Marcos.

The government, through the PCGG, seeks to recover substantial shares in several of Tan’s companies, among them Allied Bank, ABI, Fortune Tobacco Corp.

Other firms include Basic Holdings Corp., Foremost Farms Inc., Grandspan Development Corp., Himmel Industries, Iris Holdings and Development Corp., Jewel Holdings Inc., Manufacturing Services and Trade Corp.

Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corp., Northern Tobacco Redrying Plant, Progressive Farms Inc., Shareholdings Inc., Sipalay Trading Corp., Virgo Holdings and Development Corp. and Allied Leasing and Finance Corp.