Bong Tan finally gets own empire

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business6_july31_2009

Bong Tan finally gets own empire

LUCIO “Bong” Tan Jr. has finally been given a chance to run his own kingdom and emerge from the shadows of his driven father, taipan Lucio Tan.

Tan’s eldest son, 43, has been appointed president of Tanduay Distilleries, with the 75-year-old taipan relinquishing the presidency but still keeping the chairman’s title, looking over the shoulders of his son.

The young Tan, who must now cut back on his active social life, will still get day-to-day help from Wilson Young, an ex-SGV auditor who retains the title of chief operating officer, as well as president and chief executive of the parent company, listed Tanduay Holdings.

According to the grapevine, the appointment of Tan Jr. was one of the few benefits of the nasty feud between the taipan and younger brother Mariano Tanenglian, who had been forced to relinquish his long-time title as treasurer of the Lucio Tan Group.

If the pro-Tan grapevine is to be believed, Tanenglian had asked that the junior Tan, whom he is apparently fond of, be given the chance to shine, in exchange for Tanenglian keeping his peace.

Tan Jr., for a time, was kept out of the inner loop of his father’s sprawling empire, as Tanenglian and he were increasingly being sidelined, according to the Tan chatter, by Domingo Chua, the taipan’s brother-in-law and chairman of Allied Bank.

Tan Asks Court to Bar Extensions in Graft Case... May Tinatago ba si Dr. LT?

Tan asks court to bar extensions in graft case

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/07/28/09/tan-asks-court-bar-extensions-graft-case

Lawyers of businessman Lucio Tan on Tuesday asked the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division to set Aug. 10, 2009 as the final deadline for the Office of the Solicitor General to present more evidence in the P51-billion Marcos ill-gotten wealth case involving Tan's assets.

Estelito P. Mendoza and Orlando A. Santiago, counsel for Tan and his companies, noted that the court’s directive for government lawyers to terminate its presentation of evidence was issued way back April 23, 2009 but they have yet to comply.

They said government lawyers only have themselves to blame if their presentation is still incomplete until now – almost 22 years since the case was first filed.

CC No. 0005 was filed in court in July 1987, but the government made modifications and submitted an amended complaint in 1990 and a second amended complaint in September 1991. Tan challenged the case before the Supreme Court which upheld the government stand and ordered a full trial in 1999.

In a motion dated July 11, the OSG asked the court for an extension of 30 days in which to file its formal offer of exhibits or until August 10, 2009.

In a nine-page resolution promulgated July 20, the graft court junked the government’s appeal seeking to set aside the April 23 order to end its presentation. The ruling effectively barred the OSG’s attempt to get former First Lady Imelda Marcos and Tan’s brother Mariano Tanenglian to testify against him.

The Sandiganbayan said it gave no less than 17 extensions for government lawyers to complete their presentation between May 16, 2006 and April 23, 2009.

“This Court cannot forever be waiting for the plaintiff to present all its witnesses. There comes a point when the case should be put to rest and not be allowed to linger in its docket with no end in sight,” the graft court declared.

Presiding Justice Ma. Cristina Cortez-Estrada penned the ruling concurred in by Associate Justices Roland B. Jurado and Napoleon E. Inoturan.

Civil Case no. 0005, filed in July 1987, named the Marcos estate, former first lady Imelda Marcos and former Central Bank governor Gregorio Licaros and former Philippine National Bank president Panfilo Domingo, both deceased, as respondents.

The Marcos family claims that at least 60 percent of Tan’s holdings in his various companies acutally belonged to them and was only entrusted to him by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Shut Up! Lest Be Censored and Banned... from the Lucio Tan Group of Companies

Do we have to be afraid of Dr. Lucio Tan and his camp of followers and ill-advisers who spill distorted truths and spread rumors? This is what has been posted by Victor Agustin, on Cocktales about the Manila Standard.

Remember those days when you could not avail of the Manila Bulletin on any Philippine Airlines flights right after the Lucio Tan Group took the reigns of the fledging airline?

Now, shall publications and journals bow down to the might and weight of a bully? Or should they speak the truth? In our Philippine Society, and the capitalist market system, it is sad to say that the mighty buck speaks with great stoutness.

Sad to say, will we Filipinos, regardless of race, ethnicity, cultural/religious affiliations and skin color, be buckled down by the ills of past and present Filipino Society?

Sa pera tayo tumutugon! Hindi sa katotohanan! Is there such a thing as Integrity in Philippine Society in general?

To those working for Kapitan and those already threatened by him, we empathize with your plight. We know many have been either demoted or terminated for speaking the truth, or just by lending a hand to protect the Kapitan from his blinded sight and deafened ears. We wish you had another path.

This is the excerpt from Victor Agustin...

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business6_july15_2009

".... There have been fall-outs as well.

The paper has had to suffer being off-loaded from Philippine Airlines whenever the Lucio Tan-Mariano Tanenglian feud gets splashed on the front page. The Makati Business Club and the Asian Institute of Management could not understand why we, or this corner, could not take their political pronouncements as gospel truths, in the same way that MBC and AIM could not take Malacañang’s pronouncements as gospel truths.

And, notwithstanding the secret delight of the Jesuits, the gays of La Salle have now equated the Manila Standard Today with the apocrypha.

We better stop here, lest we spill more trade secrets."

A Letter to Our Taipan, Mr. Lucio Tan [致陳大班永栽博士一封信]

致陳大班永栽博士一封信

尊敬的甲必丹:

您的傳奇一生，從白手起家到現在的商業王國，贏得華社，甚至菲主流社會的青睞。大家尊稱您為甲必舟，就說明您和貴商業王國的榮辱，已經與我菲華社會普羅大衆息息相關。最近，您們兄弟鬧翻，從旁觀者清的角度看，已經關係到您們的商業王國的興衰。因此，我們認為，這不單是您們家族之事，同時也是整個華族之事。真誠希望您多傾聽社會輿論。 

近日西報圖文並茂刊登令二房做壽的招搖場面，華社為您操心：令后、三房至十幾房若紛紛效尤，而且都號稱陳永栽夫人，別說外人分不清您們 的嫡庶，就您們自家人都無法從稱呼。難怪華社紛紛評論說： 

1. 令二房是假借做生日之名，行慶祝扳倒令弟之實，果真如此，您豈是 不是要擔負“寵妃而廢八賢王”的罪名。 

2. 從您的眾姬妾中，許多崇拜您的人為您抱不平，甚至不少人建議您的兒女們該去做一下DNA測試。否則，到了樹倒猢孫散之時，誰將扶大夏之不傾。 

3. 在大多數菲華人士眼中，您不止有大將之風，而且具有帝王之度，如果您的晚節和一世英名毀在女人及卑膝奉迎之手下，不但華社將為您惋惜，令先尊堂泉下也將不安。 

尊敬的甲必丹，因為我們始終相信您是一位造時英雄，挽狂濤的好漢。上述議論或許不太中聽，但作為真誠崇敬您的人，還是如實轉告您，因擔 心您高處不勝寒，聽不到民間聲音而延誤時機。再說您已經是80歲老人了，俗語說：天有不測風雲，也該趁您精神飽滿之時把財產分清楚，以免那麼 多的妻妾子女今後爭的你死我活，到時將蚌鶴相爭，漁翁得利，君不見香 港華懋集團同陳姓風水先生財產爭奪案，又毀了您的一世英名。良藥苦口利於病，忠言逆耳利於行。 

尊敬的甲必丹希望您收到這訊息之後，不能當作耳邊風，多讀幾遍，心平氣和自我反思，相信能夠受益良多。

..............................................................................................................................................

Our most respected Kapitan:

Erecting your business empire from scratch has become a nationwide legend. You have won the hearts of the Filipino-Chinese community and the favor of mainstream Filipino society. Your business empire's success is strongly tied to our community. Due to the success of your business empire, everyone has learned to address you as the Kapitan. The success and the decline of your empire greatly affects Filipino society. 

How could you not recognize that the recent publicized feud with your brother Mariano Tanenglian not only is a family matter but also is a matter that affects all of us. We all sincerely hope that you listen to the public, our opinions.

The Philippine Star had published an article dated May 10, 2009 about your mistress entitled "Lucio Tan's wife celebrates birthday week". The article paraded Lucia Tan (Letty Tan), your mistress, as Mrs. Lucio Tan. This worries the Filipino-Chinese community. After Letty Tan has been paraded in public as Mrs. Lucio Tan, will your other mistresses from the third to the umpteenth be following suit? If your own family has trouble addressing who the real Mrs. Lucio Tan is, let alone the general public who cannot even point out who the real Mrs. Lucio Tan is. The Filipino-Chinese community is saying:

1. To parade Letty Tan's birthday in public media is a diversion tactic that was used to overshadow the truth of the recent on-goings within the Tan family. The real reason for the celebration is the toppling down of your brother, Mariano Tanenglian. Would you like to be accused of "expelling your able ministers to please your mistress"?

2.  Because of all your mistresses, many people are worried for you. There are quite a few people who suggest that all your sons and daughters should all undergo DNA testing. If not, when the time comes to divide your wealth, who will be there to help quell the in-fighting and squabble that would ensue?

3. In the eyes of many Filipino-Chinese, you have the prowess of great generals and the demeanor of an emperor.  If your 'heroic' legacy is shattered in the hands of women and verminous people, how could you face your ancestors and the Filipino-Chinese community? Of all people, we are greatly disturbed by this thought.

Our most respected Kapitan, we have always believed that you are our hero, a well respected gentleman. Perhaps, you do not wish to hear what we have said above. But we sincerely and truthfully fear for you. We would rather tell you the truth than whisper sweet lies to your ears. We fear that you are too high up in your position that you cannot hear our voices. 

You are already in your 80's. You cannot tell when it is your time to part with this life on earth. Take this opportunity when you are still able to clearly divide your wealth among all your children and family in order to avoid any squabbles and in-fighting amongst all your family and mistresses' families. If you do not take this opportunity, your families will be fighting like the crane and the oyster in Chinese stories where the fisherman becomes the final victor. We do not wish to see the same scenario as to what is currently happening with the succession problems of the Chinachem Empire and Tony Chan Chun-Chuen, the Feng Shui master who is reportedly supposed to take over the reigns of the empire. We do not wish to see your legacy, your honorable name be trampled by something as destructive as this.

We hope that you take heed of our advice. You might not like to hear what we say, but for your own good, we hope that you do. 

Our dearest Kapitan, we hope that after you receive this message, that you do not disregard what we have said. Read this letter a few more times, be calm, reflect upon what we have said. We deeply believe that you will benefit from what we have said.

An Open Letter to Dr. Lucio Tan [致陳永栽博士公開信]

致陳永栽博士公開信

痛哉！如果說金融海嘯給不可一世的世界唯一超強 -- 美國，在短短數月間百孔千瘡，威風掃地；那麽，陳博士您卻因為在處理令弟之事不當，而焦頭爛耳， 顏面盡失。華社街頭巷尾深深為您的聰明一世，糊塗一時而惋惜，為您的一意孤行，造成親者疼，仇者快而忿忿不平。難道受尊崇為華人的第一大班，數月之間竟變為市井之流，也是天意嗎?

其實，您親自赤膊上陣向人解釋與令弟的糾紛事，已經完全喪失自己的身份地位，可是，據說您最近卻走訪了老對頭葉應祿先生，葉是一位眾口皆碑的賺賺君子，相信用任何條件交換也不會改變其為人處事原則的；不幸的是您病急亂投醫，居然降尊拜見李逢梧，並建議他出任商總理事長，如今，他在公衆場合說最近 ‘瘋的’(指你) 找他求詩治瘋藥，因你弟媳的瘋病傳染給令弟。而且還到處學著你那似跛非跛的八字腳步伐，仿著你那似笑非笑的說話形象，曰：永年竊取我公司20個B。荒唐! 既然是生意虧的，怎能算是偷呢？況且，不久前你才在媒體面前信誓旦旦地說，永年不食不取，沒貪你一分錢。

衰哉！李逢梧揭發您前言不對後話時的瘋人模仿，讓人眼花繚亂，到底是他瘋還是你瘋，或是你弟弟和弟媳瘋了？一個受人尊敬的華人領袖，如今淪落到被瘋人稱為瘋人，再指著親人喊瘋人。

嗚呼！ 陳大班，敬請您顧及自己的顏面，凡事不要忘記您的身份地位。

一群真正愛護您的華人謹啟

二00九年七月

...................................................................................................................

What pain! Dr. Tan, you have humiliated yourself beyond rescue. If you were to say that the USA, the world's superpower was torn and humiliated by the recent economic meltdown, the humiliation you are suffering within the Filipino-Chinese community is much worse. We are deeply confounded and saddened by the way you have mishandled your feud with your own brother, Mariano Tanenglian. Is this your destiny? Is this fate? Your intelligence and prowess does not explain your recent actions regarding this matter. You have indeed become filth that is unworthy of our city's sewers.

In fact, you have already humiliated yourself by personally spreading rumors and distorting the truth behind your dispute with your brother. To further humiliate yourself, you have stooped down and paid your old foe, Mr. Emilio T. Yap, owner of Manila Bulletin and Manila Hotel, a visit in order to woo him into your camp. Mr. Yap is a highly regarded public figure in society. Whatever incentives or conditions you have given Mr. Yap, we believe that he will hold true to his own integrity and not be swayed by your wealth and influence.

You even have gone as far as paying a visit to Mr. James G. Dy, chairman and president of the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association, to suggest that he take the reigns of the Chamber of Commerce. It is so unfortunate to see that you have resorted to desperate measures to save your face, stooping down and befriending your enemies. Mr. Dy recently said in public that you are insane for asking him for a cure for insanity because your brother Mariano has picked up his wife's insanity. More so, Mr. Dy has been mimicking your gait and your uncertain laugh; repeating your own words that Mariano embezzled 20 billion pesos from you. That is absurd! That 20 billion pesos you have claimed Mariano embezzled was caused by your own business loss. How could you accuse Mariano of embezzlement? Moreover, you have recently admitted in public media that Mariano is not one who is greedy and corrupt, that he has never stolen a cent from you.

What embarrassment! Mr. Dy's mimicking of your gait and your 'lunacy' has bewildered many. Is Mr. Dy the crazy one or are you the crazy one? Or is it your brother and sister-in-law who are crazily insane? What an embarrassment to see a respected leader of the Filipino-Chinese community be reduced to being called a lunatic; and pointing fingers that your relatives are lunatics as well.

Alas! Mr. Tan, Taipan, we ask that you save your own face, do not forget who you are in society, what your status is within our community.

Written by a group of Filipino-Chinese who cares about you.

July 2009

Lucio Tan gets Century Park Hotel for a Bargain!

As expected, Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim proceeded with the sale of Century Park Hotel for a bargain price of only P1 billion.

This was confirmed to People's Chronicle by Atty. Rey Bagatsing who disclosed that he would soon petition the court to nullify the transaction.

He said the sale should be voided because it was highly disadvantageous to the city government and the people of Manila.

City Hall insiders informed the People’s Chronicle that the sale to business tycoon Lucio Tan was veiled in secrecy and no public announcement on the matter was issued either by the Manila Information Bureau (MIB) or the Office of the Mayor.

In a bid to block the transaction, Atty. Bagatsing claimed the price tag of P1 billion was too cheap considering that the five star hotel is located on a three-hectare prime lot owned by the city government.

“The lot alone is already worth P2.4 billion at P80,000 per square meter,” he pointed out. The prevailing selling price of lots in the vicinity of Century Park Hotel and the Central Bank ranges between P80,000 to as high as P120,000 per square meter.

“Lucio Tan was actually handed down a bargain because the building alone is worth more than P1 billion,” Bagatsing added.

The tycoon took over the right to the hotel from the Martel family, the original leaseholder of the property which also included the Harrison Plaza Shopping Complex.

The City of Manila owns the land which is bounded by Vito Cruz, M. Adriatico, A. Mabini and Quirino Ave, including the Manila Zoo.

City Hall insiders claimed Lim need to rush the sale of Century Park Hotel because he has to make good a 2007 campaign promise to build two new hospitals in the city’s 8^th and 6^th congressional districts.

The City of Manila has been suffering huge budget deficits during the last two years under Lim thereby requiring him to proceed with the sale of the hotel which is expected to be fully owned by the city government in 2013.

In a resolution passed early last year, the City Council has authorized Lim to negotiate the sale of Century Park and the city lot it occupies.

It could not be confirmed yet if the sale to Lucio Tan was already submitted by the mayor to the City Council for final approval.

Lucio Tan's Trickery and Deceit?

Lucio Tan's Trickery and Deceit?

Bulgar, Boses ng Masa, Mata ng Bayan

25 June 2009, Thursday

Lucio Tan is among the richest in Asia.

But why? Opposite Lucio Tan's super-rich status, it is said that he still is resorting to trickery and deception due to the tax evasion cases in front of him.

It is also said that Lucio Tan is fabricating false accusations against his brother Mariano Tanenglian so that he can have sole control over the businesses they have founded and shared.

This is but one example of how a brother can incapacitate his own brother. What of the Filipinos who are not among the rich politicians?

________________________

Kalokohan ni Lucio Tan?

Sa buong Asya, isa si Lucio Tan sa pinkamayaman.

Pero, bakit sa kabila na superrich na Lucio Tan ay may ginagawa pa rin daw siyang kalokohan dahil sa mga kasong tax evasion na kanyang hinaharap?

Sabi pa raw, ultimo utol ni Lucio Tan na si (Mariano) Tanenglian ay ginagawan daw niya ng kung any-anong isyu para masolo niya ang kanilang pinagsosyohang mga negosyo.

Isang halimbawa lamang iyan na kung ang mismong utol ay nilalamangan daw ng utol, ang mamamayang Pinoy pa kaya na hindi naan kaanu-ano ng mga mayayamang pulitiko?

Businessman Brother Cannot Come To Terms?

Pilipino Star Ngayon, Thursday, June 25, 2009

BANAT NI BATUIGAS, by Bening Batuigas

English Translation

It appears that the feud between this businessman and his younger brother can no longer be mended despite efforts of friends and relatives to patch up their worsening break up. He, he, he! This is the major problem feared by their employees hoping that there will be a solution to this continuing conflict between the brothers. And if this will not be settled by the brothers, it will surely lead to widespread layoffs of employees. This is the sentiment relayed to me by employees of the brothers whom I talked to. Last Saturday, the businessman summoned all the high officials and supervisors of all his companies and directed them not to even attempt to talk to his brother. They waited for about two hours before the businessman arrived with his lawyer who made the announcements of directives that the businessman wished to implement. Said officials were demoralized when the lawyer declared the directives of the businessman; and that if they wanted to keep their jobs they should not talk to or help the younger brother. He, he, he! It was as if ice were poured behind the backs of the officials when they heard the directives. Although they were shocked at the directives, many of the officials were worried because they would have an extremely difficult time complying as the brother is still a stockholder of the companies. As a result, these officials are in a quandary thinking about their bosses' big mess. It seems that the old saying, "blood is thicker than water", has lost its meaning in this feud between the two brothers. Is this not the case, my faithful readers? How could the employees avoid the situation they are placed in when the brother still has substantial shares in these companies; even if he were removed from his positions. Henceforth, the poor employees of the companies are placed between colliding rocks not of their own making. He, he, he! Big riddles abound in the business community with regards to the shifting versions of the fight between the brothers. It has been proven that not a single centavo has been stolen by the brother from the companies. When matters got worse, however, the businessman accused the brother of embezzling large sums which resulted in losses in some of the companies.

As a result, there is a call from businessmen who are concerned about the employees' welfare to release the shares of the brother to him so that they can go their separate ways if there is no real chance of patching up.

To be continued...

________________________

Di-magkasundo ang magkapatid na negosyante

Mukhang hindi na talaga magagawan ng paraan na maayos and gusot sa pagitan ng isang negosyante at nakababatang kapatid nito sa kabila ng pagsusumikap ng ilan nilang mga kaibigan at kaanak na mapigilan ang lumalalang hidwaan. He, he, he! Ito pangunahing dahilan ng pinangangambahan ng mga empleyadong umaasa pang magkaroon ng solusyon ang patuloy na pagbabanggaan ng magkapatid. At oras umano na hindi ito masolusyunan ng magkapatid ay tiyak na hahantong ito sa malawakang sibakan sa trabaho. Ito ang hinaing na ipinarating sa akin ng ilang trabahador ng magkapatid nang aking makausap. Noong Sabado ng umaga, ipinatawag ng negosyante ang lahat ng mataas na opisyal at supervisor ng lahat ng kompanyang kanilang pag-aari upang pagsabihan ang mga ito na huwag nang magtangka pang kausapin ang kanyang kapatid. Humigit-kumulang sa dalawang oras na naghintay and mga opisyal ng iba't ibang kompanyan pag-aari ng negosyante bago ito dumating kasama ang kanyang abogado na siyang nag-anunsiyo ng mga direktiba na nais ipatupad ng negosyante. Nanlumo ang mga opisyal nang ipahayag ng abogado ang nais ng negosyante sa mga kompanya at nagbanta ito na huwag nang makikipag-usap o tumulong sa kanyang kapatid kung nais pa nilang manatili sa kanilang tungkulin. He, he he! Parang binuhusan ng yelo ang mga opisyales nang marinig ang kautusan. Bagama't nabigla sa naturang direktiba, marami sa mga opisyal ang nangamba dahil bukod sa nananatili pa ring stockholder ng mga kompanya ang kapatid, mahihirapan silang tumugon o sundin ang kautusan. Kaya ngayon, parang hilong talilong sa kaiisip ang mga opisyales sa gusot ng kanilang mga bossing. Mukhang masisira ang matandang kasabihan na "blood is thicker than water" sa bangayan ng magkapatid, di ba mga suki? Paano nga naman nila maiiwasan ang ganitong sitwasyon gayong may malaki pa ring share yung isa sa mga kompanya ng kanyang kapatid kahit sinibak na ito sa puwesto. Kaya't ang mga kawawang trabahador ng mga kompanya ay naiipit sa nag-uumpugang bato na hindi naman nila kasalanan. He, he, he! Malaking palaisipan ngayon sa hanay ng business community ang paiba-ibang bersiyon umano ng pag-aaway ng magkapatid dahil noon pa man ay pinatunayan nung isa na wala kahit isang sentimo na kinulimbat sa kanilang mga kompanya ang kapatid subalit nang lumala na ang bangayan ay pinagbibintangan na ng una ng hulo na nakapaglustay ng malaking halaga na ikinalugi ng ilan nilang kompanya.

Kaya't sa ngayon ay malakas ang panawagan ng mga negosyanteng nagmamalasakit sa mga trabahador na ibigay na lamang ang shares ng kapatid upang magkanya-kanya na sila ng landas kung talagang wala nang pag-asang magkasundo pa.

Abangan...