DONG GOES FROM SENATE TO NBI CELL
During yesterday’s Senate investigation, Kenneth Dong denies he is close to Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte
Aquaintance lang po. Hindi po kami ganoon ka-close KENNETH DONG
Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday arrested businessman Kenneth Dong in connection with a rape case.
Dong was arrested at the Senate after he attended the blue ribbon committee hearing on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu from China. He is one of the alleged players in the illegal drug shipment.
NBI agents served the arrest warrant on Dong when he stepped out of the Senate session hall.
The warrant was issued by Judge Aida Estrella Macapagal of the Parañaque City Regional Trial Court Branch 195.
“You are hereby commanded to arrest Kenneth Dong, with last known address at No. 18 Tomas St. Unit C Multinational Village, Parañaque City,” read the arrest warrant issued on July 21, 2016.
No bail was recommended for Dong’s temporary liberty.
Earlier in the day, Dong denied that he is a close friend of presidential son and Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.
The presidential son was tagged by Customs broker Mark Taguba II in the corruption issues in the Bureau of Customs (BoC).
During the hearing, Dong said that he met Paolo, the eldest son of President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2008 when he was expanding his weighing scale business in Davao.
Dong, however, said that he is not close to Paolo.
“Aquaintance lang po. Hindi po kami ganoon ka-close,” he said.
Taguba earlier tagged the President’s son as the person behind the so-called “Davao Group,” a group involved in corruption activities in the BOC, which the latter denied.
Dong was further asked by senators to explain the photo of him and Paolo circulating online.
The businessman said that he just developed the habit of taking pictures.
“Ang problema po sa’kin, mahilig po ako magpa-picture,” said Dong, to which, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV replied: “Problema talaga ‘yan. May senador na nakulong dahil sa picture,” Trillanes said, referring to detained Senator Leila de Lima.
Aside from Dong, Taguba was also questioned about the Davao Group.
Asked by Senator Manny Pacquiao if he believed that Paolo is backing up the group, he answered in the negative.
Taguba said that Davao Group members are close with the Davao City vice mayor.
He said that alleged members of the group “Tita Nani,” “Jack” and “Small” were the ones claiming that Paolo Duterte is behind their group.
“Yung Tita Nani, Jack at Small, sila ang nagbabanggit sa kanya (Paolo Duterte),” he said.
Taguba earlier tagged Dong as the middleman of Richard Tan, general manager of the Hong Fei Logistics, the firm that transported the 604 kilos of shabu found in a warehouse in Valenzuela City.
Dong is a businessman engaged in selling industrial weighing scales.
He is also the co-owner of a night club in Mandaue Cebu, Liv Super Club. /