Duterte: Prove Go meddled in warship equipment deal and I’ll fire him
President Rodrigo Duterte speaks at the inauguration of the new Communications, Navigation, Surveillance / Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems Development Project at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center (PATMC) in Pasay City on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. (Photo from an RTVM video)
President Rodrigo Duterte will fire special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go if the allegations that he intervened in the P15.7-billion project of the government to acquire combat management systems for the two new warships of the Philippine Navy could be proven true.
But Duterte defended Go as he slammed a report on Go, saying it was “pregnant with falsity.”
“Who gave you idea he can intervene?” Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview in Pasay City. “Where is his signature? Where is your statement? And where is your… even a point of reference?”
Duterte was referring to an article of news website Rappler, which said Go intervened in the P15.7-billion project of the government to acquire two new frigates for the Navy.
“You’re inquisitive mind goes beyond its normal proportion,” he said, citing Rappler was a “fake news outlet.”
“But since you are a fake news outlet then I am not surprised that your articles are also fake,” he said.
Christopher “Bong” Go, special assistant to the president Rodrigo Roa Duterte. (MALACAÑANG POOL PHOTO)
The Inquirer also earlier reported that Malacañang had special interest in Navy’s selection of the weapons system for the frigate project of the government. The report said Go allegedly intervened in the acquisition of new warships.
READ: Palace had special interest in Navy’s selection of weapons system supplier
But the President said the accusations against Go were impossible.
“He seem to appear intervening because about money? The things that you are telling never happened,” Duterte said. “Pag magtanggap kami ng ganun, ipasa namin doon sa proper… If it’s Justice department, it goes to the Justice department. If the subject matter here is about transportation, it goes to [Secretary Arthur] Tugade,” he said.
“He’s not a military [man] and he intervened… what… You think, you think you can convince [Defense Secretary Delfin] Lorenzana and the guys there, you can bribe them? Or you think that sila papayag na kami ang mag-bribe with the way I talk, the way I’ve been firing people?” he added.
He said he would ask Go to resign or he would fire him tomorrow if the allegations against his aide could be proven true.
“I am now explaining even with your article. Find a way na magsabi ka ng totoo nag-intervene kami. I’ll give it to you,” he said. “And if you can find, I will ask Bong to resign tomorrow. Work on it tonight. Let me know tomorrow and I will fire him if he did intervene, even for one word.”
Go had earlier issued a statement denying he had intervened in Philippine Navy’s selection of the weapons system supplier for the P15.7-billion frigate program. /atm
