“The family of the late Anson Tan firmly disputes allegations that their father was involved in POGO transactions,” the family's lawyer, Jose Christopher Belmonte, said in a statement on Saturday.
“Mr. Tan has been engaged in legitimate business for decades and is a stalwart member of the Filipino Chinese business community and is known for his charitable work. During his lifetime, he stayed away from shady dealings and only did business with people he knew and trusted,” he added.
The bodies of Tan, who is listed as a director of publicly listed mining firm Century Peak Holdings Corp., and his driver, Armanie Pabillo, were found in Rodriguez, Rizal on April 10, days after they went missing.
They were last seen on March 29, and reported missing the following day.
Since the bodies were found, reports have cited police looking into a possible POGO angle. At least one report claimed the killings stemmed from a POGO deal gone sour involving a property in Bulacan.
But Belmonte noted in the letter that “they have no rental property in Bulacan to speak of”.
“We appeal to the public to remain critical of misleading news and thank everyone for their support. The family will continue to fully cooperate with the Philippine National Police even as they request that they be accorded privacy during this time of grief and mourning,” Belmonte said.
Apart from Century Peak, Tan is listed as the chair of Tambo Realty Corp. and the proprietor of Elison’s Steel Bar Marketing.
In the wake of the brutal killings, dozens of business groups issued a joint statement demanding justice for the killing of Tan and his driver.
Signatories include the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Philippine Exporters Confederation.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
