Actor Cesar Montano joins Duterte business entourage

Actor Cesar Montano. DORIS DUMLAO-ABADILLA/INQUIRER

BEIJING—Many Filipinos who went to see President Rodrigo Duterte at his official residence during his state visit were pleasantly surprised to see movie actor Cesar Montano.

Montano, looking dapper in a business suit, was part of Mr. Duterte’s massive business entourage.

He was mobbed by mostly women fans, who shrieked and pleaded for selfies with him after listening to Mr. Duterte’s address to members of the Filipino community in Beijing at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Wednesday night.

“I fully support the President and I’m just showing him my full support,” Montano said when asked by the Inquirer why he was traveling with Mr. Duterte.

The actor had been in a huddle with some Chinese businessmen at the lobby of the Grand Hyatt, where Mr. Duterte and many members of his official and business entourage were staying during the four-day state visit.

“I have a meeting here [for] business,” Montano said.

He said he was exploring possible financing deals for his movie production outfit.

“These are full Chinese. They want to put in money, as they have nowhere else to invest in,” he said, adding that the Chinese businessmen he was talking to were involved in construction and other businesses. TVJ