By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

FORMER Sen. Thomas V.C. Tanaka, sentenced for misprision of felony along with Gil Shinohara, former Sen. Willy Flores and two other businessmen, yesterday asked the court to allow him to travel to the U.S. mainland.
Tanaka wants to go to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend a Vemma Convention, and to San Diego, California to visit his son. He will be away from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22, 2007, and will stay overnight in Tokyo, Japan on his way to the U.S. and on his return to Guam.
Tanaka, Shinohara, Flores, businessmen Takahisa Goto and John Martinez were sentenced on Oct. 27, 2005 in connection with defrauding the Bank of Guam some $300,000, which they loaned purportedly for the repair of the Pedro Plaza Building in Hagatna.
Tanaka received 24-month probation with conditions to stay at home for six months with electronic monitoring and is restricted to his home except for employment as approved by the U.S. Probation Office, attorney visits, medical, religious services and to conduct speeches.
Tanaka, just like Shinohara, Flores, Goto and Martinez, was ordered by District Court Judge William Alsup to give at least one speech to an audience of at least 200 people and perform 200 hours of community service .
Tanaka, who has been on probation since Oct. 27, 2005, was also mandated to pay a $2,000 fine.
His request for travel was endorsed by Chief U.S. Probation Officer Frank Michael Cruz who told the court that Tanaka has been compliant with all court conditions.
Cruz said Tanaka already paid his $2,000 fine on Nov. 14, 2005, completed the delivery of his speech before 200 individuals on Oct. 3, 2006, and made several other trips to the Philippines and the United States, and returned without incidents.
The federal court has not responded to Tanaka’s travel request yet.
Last September, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Joaquin Manibusan Jr. granted Goto’s request to travel to Japan.
The judge, however, instructed Goto to abide by his probation conditions while in Japan, shall report to the U.S. Probation Office in person within 72 hours upon arrival to Guam, and should immediately report any change in his travel plans to the U.S. Probation Office.
Goto is also restricted to his home at all times, and with electronic monitoring for three months and shall not travel unless approved by the U.S. Probation Office.