Gordon says Chinese businessman being 'evasive,' warns him of contempt

Senator Richard Gordon on Wednesday warned Chinese businessman Richard Tan that he could be cited in contempt for being "evasive" in the Senate hearing on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu seized from his warehouse in Valenzuela City in May.

Gordon said Tan's statements during the hearing do not match the contents of his affidavit, such as his conversation with Bureau of Customs official Rainier Ragos. Tan said during the hearing that it was his staff who talked to Ragos.

"Panibago na naman 'to. Wala sa affidavit mo 'yun. Ang affidavit mo is you called Rainier," Gordon said during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing.

"I will warn you, you have been very evasive from the very beginning. You keep on changing your statements... I will put you under contempt. Do you understand?" 

Gordon also chided Tan for denying that he understood Tagalog and English, even though he was heard talking with his counsel in Tagalog.

The senator tasked Tan's translator and his counsel to explain to the businessman that the Senate will subpoena his phone records. "Paliwanag mo kung puwede natin makuha yung records niya."

"Okay lang," replied Tan, who said he's been residing in the Philippines for more than 20 years.

"Paano kayo mag-usap? Niloloko niyo ako. Let the records show that he is talking to his counsel in Tagalog... You cannot fool us here," Gordon said in response.

Gordon said he also obtained phone records showing Tan was able to speak in Tagalog and English during his trip to Cebu.

"20 years na itong tao na 'to at hindi pa rin siya marunong mag-Tagalog at mag-English," he said. "Marunong ka mag-Tagalog, hindi ba? I have a phone call here that you went to Cebu and you [spoke] Tagalog and English." —KBK, GMA News