P6.4-billion shabu shipment middleman arraigned

MANILA, Philippines — A businessman, accused of being the middleman in the importation of P6.4-billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu from China in May 2017, yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charges against him before the Manila regional trial court (RTC).

Kenneth Dong was accompanied to RTC Branch 46 for his arraignment by jail guards from the Manila District Jail at Camp Bagong Diwa, where he was ordered detained with self-confessed customs fixer Mark Ruben Taguba.

Although the prosecution has wrapped up its presentation of evidence, Dong’s lawyers will be given the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses before his trial could start.

Dong is the only Chinese businessman arrested since warrants were issued against those involved in the shipment by Manila RTC Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa in February 2018.

Taguba is awaiting the judge’s resolution on his bail petition. The customs broker claimed he had only been acting upon the orders of Dong and that he did not know there were drugs in the shipment of metal cylinders.

Dong had told reporters after his arrest at Katarungan Village in Muntinlupa on Feb. 4 that his transactions for brokerage service with Taguba involved shoes and garments, not shabu.

He denied knowing businessman Richard Tan, owner of Hongfei Logistics, which shipped the crates where the 602 kilos of shabu were kept before being transported to a warehouse in Valenzuela in May 2017.