KENNETH Dong, one of the alleged middlemen in the P6.4-billion worth of shabu smuggled from China, on Thursday wept during the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee.
In Thursday's hearing, Senator Manny Pacquiao questioned Dong if he also had taken photos of other persons besides the personalities involved in the shabu scandal, to which he answered in the affirmative.
Dong admitted that he has photos with other senators and called it "normal."
Photos of Dong with Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, lawyer Manases Carpio and other senators earlier circulated online following Dong's appearance in the Senate hearing.
"Tulad sa ibang pinoy na pag-nakakita ng public figure, 'Oh, senator, pwede pa-picture?' I think it's very normal para sa isang tao," Dong said.
Further questioning made Dong emotional.
"Yung picture na 'yan nanggaling pa sa social media," he said.
"Sobrang frustrated na ako. Every time...I'm sorry...nagiging good faith ako, nagpakita ako sa inyo dito pero hindi po para dun sa picture na 'yan na iniimbestigahan sakin," Dong added.
Pacquiao then agreed to Dong.
"May mga iilan diyan 'pag may picture ang isang tao associated na sa mga transaksyon na ginagawa ng tao," Pacquiao said. "Nililiwanag lang natin dito at sa taumbayan na hindi porket may picture ka sa isang tao e alam mo na ang mga ginagawa niya."
In the previous Senate probe into the alleged involvement of Senator Leila de Lima in the Bilibid drug trade, photos of the former Justice Secretary together with some drug lords were used as a basis to establish links between the two parties. (SunStar Philippines)