Go, with the president's men in tow, faces the Senate

MANILA, Philippines — A close aide of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday appeared before the Senate with many of the president’s men in tow, denying allegations that he interfered in a multibillion Philippine Navy contract aimed at modernizing its depleted fleet of ships.

 

Accompanying Christopher “Bong” Go to a hearing of the Senate panel on national defense and security were presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre III, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Solicitor General Jose Calida.

 

This prompted Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero to ask who was with the chief executive if the president’s men were in the Senate to show support to his longtime aide.

 

“Who’s currently with the president? Who’s with him in the house?” Escudero said in jest to the laughter of those present in the Senate.

 

Go is facing the Senate to clear his name of allegations that he intervened in the Navy’s acquisition of a combat management system to be installed on the two frigates it is acquiring from Hyundai Heavy Industries.

 

The special assistant to the president denied dipping his hand in the P15.7 billion contract to favor a South Korean firm as the supplier of the frigates’ CMS.

 

“I am innocent, and I was dragged into this controversy to besmirch the Duterte administration,” Go said in Filipino during the panel hearing.

 

The presidential aide also alleged that he was being probed for “endorsing a complaint to the proper agency,” referring to the document that South Korea’s Hanwha submitted to his office which he then forwarded to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

 

Lorenzana has cleared Go of allegations that he tried to intervene on behalf of one company and said that the chief of the presidential management staff was merely forwarding documents to concerned agencies.

 

“I did not intervene in the acquisition of the two frigates by DND nor interfere in the selection of its combat management system,” Go said.

 

He also slammed Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer for reporting that he meddled in the procurement of the CMS, saying their stories were “irresponsible reporting.”

 

Go said that people behind this might be aiming to block the implementation of the project, which he said was needed to be implemented as the Philippines faced grave security threats, and blame the administration to fail. 

 

The Philippines is currently embroiled in territorial disputes with four other Asian nations in the West Philippine Sea but so far is experiencing difficulties as its military is one of the weakest in the region.

 

Lorenzana meanwhile explained that he moved for the unceremonious removal of former Navy chief Ronald Mercado as he was blocking the implementation of the program because of his insistence to use the CMS of Thales Tacticos of Netherlands. 

 

Mercado denied disobeying the orders of his superiors on the purchase of the ships, badly needed by the Philippine Navy.

 

“I have never disobeyed any lawful order of my superior,” he told the Senate panel as he insisted that he had not been accused or involved in questionable acts during his time at the Navy.