The Philippines declined a request by Taiwan to deport a Taiwanese businessman wanted for fraud, according to a report published today on ABS-CBN News.
The Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Manila’s request to extradite You Hao Chen was denied by local authorities because the Philippines doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a separate country from China.
According to ABS-CBN News, Chen was accused of making fraudulent entries in accounting books with his Taiwanese company and owes the government nearly TWD440 million (PHP744.8 million) in tax income from 2002 to 2004.
Not only will Chen not be deported, he will also be allowed to make a huge investment in the Philippines.
“It’s none of our business if ever this investor has cases in the countries where he has been to,” Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Charito Plaza said.
“It is a political issue because I was told that the owner was supporting another presidential candidate in the last election so it is not a criminal issue,” she said.
Chen, founder and chief executive of Xiang Lu Dragon Group, wants to build a 3,000-hectare economic zone in Pangasinan province north of the capital, envisioned to house a petrochemical facility and an airport.
He also wants to build an 85-story building at Manila’s Roxas Boulevard.
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