Cebu businessman denies BI report he tried to flee PH

Kenneth Dong attends the preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice in P. Faura Manila on drug trafficking.  INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

CEBU CITY — The Cebu-based Chinese-Filipino businessman linked to the P6.4-billion “shabu” (crystal meth) shipment smuggled through the Bureau of Customs last year denied he tried to leave the country.

In a statement sent to Inquirer on Friday, the legal counsel of Dong Yi Shen, or Kenneth Dong, said Dong also didn’t try to bribe an immigration official to allow him to leave.

The reports followed a court ruling declaring lack of jurisdiction on the drug smuggling case against Dong and several others in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu shipment.

Leilani Villarino, Dong’s lawyer, said the Bureau of Immigration should investigate the reports first before casting aspersions on her client.

“False allegations as these have indubitably brought additional and unnecessary woes especially to his family,” she said.

Villarino said her client had no plan to leave the country nor tried to flee.

“This allegation from BI officials is not only false but malicious as well,” said Villarino in the statement.

Villarino said Dong stayed in Manila after his release from detention, which was a sign he did not plan to leave.

Flight being a sign of guilt, Villarino said Dong was determined to stay and prove his innocence.

On Thursday, lawyer Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI spokesperson, said the bureau was investigating a report that Dong tried to leave the country after the court ruling on lack of jurisdiction on the case against him. —Connie Fernandez