Trillanes: Aguirre ‘setting the stage’ to absolve Kenneth Dong in shabu mess

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II appears to be “setting the stage to absolve” businessman Kenneth Dong in the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of illegal drugs from China, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Thursday.

“Sec. Aguirre is setting the stage to absolve Paolo Duterte’s good friend/partner, Kenneth Dong, in this P6-billion shabu controversy,” Trillanes said when sought for comment over the possibility of Dong being a state witness in the controversy.

Dong earlier said in a blue ribbon committee hearing that Paolo Duterte, vice mayor of Davao City and son of President Rodrigo Duterte, was just an "acquaintance."

“Nagkakilala kami way back in 2008 because I expanded my first branch of weighing scale in Davao. Acquaintance lang kasi hindi naman kami ganoon ka-close,” Dong had said.

On Wednesday, Aguirre said it was “possible” for Dong to be a state witness if “he would not appear to be the most guilty.”

Dong is one of the nine individuals charged by the National Bureau of Investigation on Monday with the importation of dangerous drugs in connection with the 602.2 kilograms of shabu that were seized by the NBI and the Bureau of Customs operatives from a warehouse in Valenzuela City on May 26.

A separate complaint for violation of Section 28 of Republic Act 9280 or the Customs Brokers Act of 2004 was also filed against Dong, businessman Manny Li (Li Guang Feng) and Mark Ruben Taguba II for the unauthorized practice of customs broking.

Dong allegedly acted as a middleman for Chen Ju Long alias Richard Chen or Richard Tan, the Chinese businessman who owns the Hongfei Logistics warehouse where the contraband was found.

According to the NBI Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division, Dong helped his friend Li find a broker that will facilitate the processing of the shipment of Li's client, Chen. — MDM, GMA News