‘Mystery vehicle’ could aid in solving Tan murder
The Iloilo City Police Office said a “mystery vehicle” might hold answers to the murder of businesswoman Rose Tan, who was found dead under a bed in a room of the Queen’s Court Drive-In Hotel in Mandurriao district.
Senior Supt. Dennis Basngi, city police director, said the vehicle entered the motel Sunday evening but a check with the Land Transportation Office showed its plate number is apparently non-existent.
Based on the log list, the vehicle entered the motel and occupied Room 138 at around 6:05 p.m. and left at 6:30 p.m.
“We checked all vehicles that entered the motel from Sunday to Wednesday. When we checked with the Land Transportation Office, all vehicles are in order except for the vehicle in question,” Basngi said.
To avoid jeopardizing the ongoing investigation, Basngi temporarily withheld the vehicle’s description.
“We are trying to re-shuffle the plate numbers in the hope that it would match that of the vehicle,” he added.
The Task Force Rose, created to probe the death of Tan, 69, and her secretary Ma. Purification Catoera of Leon, Iloilo, also searched for some clues in the victim’s house in Doña Aurora Subdivision, City Proper.
Tan’s body was found Wednesday morning under the bed of Room 138.
A day earlier, Catoera’s body was found inside a sack by the roadside of Brgy. Dacutan. Dumangas, Iloilo.
Autopsy results show the two victims died of manual strangulation.
Task Force Rose head, Chief Insp. Orly Gabinete, said Tan’s house might yield answers as the businesswoman’s car did not yield any evidence.
The police entered the Tan residence after the victim’s daughter arrived from Metro Manila.
Tan’s daughter also requested the National Bureau of Investigation to join the investigation.
Meanwhile, Basngi said that based on the motel registration, Tan’s Toyota Corolla vehicle bearing plate number FER-884 did not enter the motel.
On Thursday evening, her car was found in the carpark of SM City Iloilo, several meters away from the motel.
The mall’s security personnel noticed that the car was parked in the same spot since Sunday.
Tan was one of the owners of Counterpoint Security Agency and of some commercial buildings in the city. She was also engaged in a lending business.*
