A special trade and tourism envoy denounced the accusations linking controversial businesswoman Katherine Cassandra Li Ong to the First Couple, particularly after a photo of them was made public during a press conference.
In an interview, Benito Techico, the current special envoy of the President to the People’s Republic of China for Trade, Tourism, and Investment, said he went public to clarify that the President isn’t connected to Ong.
Techico said the photo was taken sometime after the COVID-19 lockdown during one of their dinners when the restaurant owner requested a photograph with the Marcos couple, together with other people, which the now-President granted.
“Nandito po ako ngayon dahil gusto ko lang pong ipagpalinaw ang story nakunan doon sa litrato na nakunan kasama si Sandra (Cassandra) Li Ong. Gusto ko lang ikuwento na kami po ni Presidente at iba naming kaibigan ay madalas po kami dati pa po nagta-travel at sumusubok ng iba’t ibang pagkain at kultura ng iba’t ibang bansa,” Techico said.
“So, pumupunta-punta po kami sa Japan. So, doon po talaga kami mas nagkakilala. Ngayon po ay di lang po sila makapag-abot but then nagbigay naman po sila lahat ng statement po nila at makikita niyo na lang po sa social media ‘no. At ngayon po, gusto ko lang po ipagpaalam na regarding that night,” he pointed out.
Techico said the photo was taken while they were dining in a restaurant in Pasay City, and the owner of the restaurant brought some of his companions to have their photo taken with the Marcos couple.
He added that just as with the numerous people who would request their picture taken, they had no idea who was in that group.
“After dinner may pinakilala yung restaurant owner at hindi rin naman namin alam kung sino. Pumasok sya at may mga kasamang Chinese are humingi ng litrato sa ating Presidente (around) 2020. Ang ating Presidente naman ay pinayagan naman po, the typical na nagpapapicture. Ganon lang kasimple. After that lumabas na po (sila),” he stated.
Techico said that he only found out that Ong was one of those who had their picture taken with the Marcos couple when the picture was made public by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio in a press conference.
Techico added he was not able to talk to the President regarding the photograph.
According to Techico, he was forced to speak up to defend the President over unfair and foul accusations linking him to Ong, who had been linked to illegal POGO operations in the country.
“Because our group feels that it’s so unfair to the President” that he keeps on working hard and then yet stories maligning him keep cropping up, Techico said.
He said Topacio’s accusation is “100 percent contrary to what really happened.” He stressed that the President and the First Lady have no connection whatsoever to Ong.
Ong and Shiela Guo, sister of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, were arrested by Indonesian authorities last week. PND
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