By ERWIN “AMBO’ DELILAN
IS KingKong malas or buenas?
For former Bacolod City councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan could be both.
KingKong, per the Wikepedia, is a giant movie monster, resembling an enormous ape that appeared in various media since 1933.
In Campuestohan Highland Resort, which Cano owns, the gigantic statue of KingKong is a come-on.
It attracts guests – young and old.
Hence, it fuels Campuestohan, a world-class mountain resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, to rake millions of pesos in monthly income.
Campuestohan experience sans “selfie” with KingKong is nothing.
But wait! It is this same KingKong that caused havoc in Cano‘s life and his family.
A few years ago it was unfairly alleged – without an iota of proof – that the hollow portion inside the KingKong statue was a drug laboratory. It was fake news. But it traumatized Cano and his wife Nita. The unfounded allegation brought misery to the life of the Tan couple.
They were ambushed in January 2019 but cheated death unscathed. For his safety, Cano disappeared from public view. It was believed that he moved abroad.
While Cano was away, his brother Roberto “Kaisek” Tan was gunned down in Bacolod by (still) unknown assailant(s) on Dec. 15, 2019. Quite sad and shocking, of course!
Good to note that in August last year, no less than the Police Regional Office 6 based in Iloilo City cleared Cano from drug allegations.
Upon receiving a clearance from former Police Regional Director Rene Pamuspusan, Cano heaved a sigh of relief.
He announced this good news during a press conference at Campuestohan on May 2, 2021.
On Facebook Live, I watched him speak with his lawyer (Atty. Saril) beside him. He presented to the media the police clearance and stressed that he was never a drug lord.
Then, he got emotional and thank God that he is still alive.
Candidly, Cano said, he can face anyone because he’s living clean. He found it curious that drug issues seem to “haunt” him every election time.
Cano’s courage is admirable. He took the risk of going home to clean his name.
In truth, what he has now in life are a result of sheer hard work, determination and patience, he punctuated.
When I was still active in the media, Cano was one politician I knew sans bodyguards.
Media men were (always) welcome to his house in Villa Angela, Bacolod City for “ambush” interviews on any topic under the sun, at any time.
Cano and Nita are a simple couple. So is their house. They always treat media with humble viands. One of them is Cano’s fave: ginata-aan nga puso sang saging nga may monggo.
Moreover, Cano is a funny and down-to-earth being. Those drug allegations were likely handiworks of those who see him as a potential threat to their political ambitions.
Personally, I pity Cano. Politics is so dirty. He is a victim.
They say if you can’t stomach politics, stay away from it. But for some people who sincerely want to serve the public, it’s hard to abandon that kind of calling. And Cano is one of them.
I can read his mind and heart. He wants to serve the people of Bacolod for the rest of his life.
I’m hoping that KingKong will help Cano put all those false intrigues to rest so he can move on to the next level of public service amid pandemic./PN
