Immigration records bare: Archie in the Philippines, Jan Michael abroad
If the records of the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) are to be believed, murder suspect Archie Tan is somewhere in the Philippines while brother Jan Michael, also a murder suspect, is abroad.
This, as prosecution lawyer Cornelio Panes got hold of a BID report stating the duo's entry and exit records reflected in the Bureau's computer database.
Archie and Jan Michael stands accused of murdering their father, Filipino-Chinese businessman Francisco "Bobby" Tan, stepmother Cindy Zayco and six-year old sister Katherine.
Yet exact location of said murder suspects practically remains a mystery, 'worsened' by various names entered in the Hold Order list and BID Watchlist.
BID Executive Director Enrique Galang in his letter to Panes confirmed exit and entry records of a certain Archie Tan Mercado and Jan Michael Tan.
"Records appear that a certain Archie Tan Mercado was ordered included in the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Watchlist on 13 January 2006 upon the request of the PNP Regional Office Region 6 under Reference No. ABS-06-001. On 15 January 2007, 17 January 2007 and 08 May 2007 respectively, a certain Archie Tan was included in the BI Hold Departure and Watchlist upon Memorandum of Hon. Raul M. Gonzales of the Department of Justice. Our Computer Database shows that since his arrival in the country, Archie Tan Zayco with Passport No. PP0844612 has not left the country after his arrival on 24 May 2005," the BID letter went. "On the other hand, a certain Jan Michael Mercado (no date of birth indicated on the request) was placed in the BI Watchlist also upon the request of the PNP Regional Office, Region 6 on 13 January 2006. On 15 January 2007, 17 January 2007 and 08 May 2007 respectively, a certain John Michael Tan (no date of birth indicated in the DOJ Memorandum) was placed in the Bureau's Hold Departure and Watchlist upon the order of Secretary Raul M. Gonzales. Our Computer Database appears that a certain Jan Michal Tan (No Philippine passport indicated in the BI database) had left the country on 01 April 2007 via PR 300. He has not return in the country since then."
Galang in conclusion wrote Panes that the Bureau to date "are not certain whether he (referring to Jan Michael) is the same person subject of the Watchlist and Hold Departure List of the PNP Regional Office and the Department of Justice."
Meantime, questions are raised by Panes on a Petition filed before the Court of Appeals (CA) by defense lawyers in behalf of the Tan brothers cum murder and parricide suspects.
With the BID report on Jan Michael's travel abroad in April 1st, Panes wanted answers as to how Jan Michael managed to supposedly sign the Petition before the CA that was only filed third week of April.