Senatorial aspirant Christopher “Bong” Go on Friday denied knowledge of who put up a tarpaulin of himself at a plaza in Silay, Negros Occidental, which was recently taken down for violating a city ordinance.
“Hindi ko po alam sino talaga ang nagkabit,” the former special assistant to the President said in a statement.
“Sa mga supporters ko at ni PRRD, I am truly grateful for your initiative and support. Ang pakiusap ko lang, sundin natin ang mga ordinansya ng ating local leaders,” he added.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Silay Mayor Mark Golez explained that Go’s tarpaulin was taken down pursuant to City Ordinance No. 02 which regulates advertisements by means of signboards, billboards, posters, paintings on walls, slides in movies, handbills, leaflets, streamers, electric or neon lights, display stand and others of the same nature.
Golez insisted that he did not intend to offend anyone in taking down the tarpaulin.
Go urged his supporters to put such materials in their properties or just use the money to help people in dire need.
“As a word of advice to our supporters, ilagay na lang nila sa mga bahay o private properties bilang parte ito ng karapatan nilang ipahayag ang sarili nila,” he said.
“Mas mabuti pa, huwag ninyo ako unahin – ipangtulong nalang ninyo sa kapwa o ipambili nalang ng plywood para sa mga nasunugan yung gagastusin ninyo para diyan,” he added.
Go also thanked Golez for “being fair in implementing the law and for being supportive of me and the President.”
According to Go, Golez transferred the tarpaulin inside his property to express his support.
“Nabalitaan ko na siya rin mismo ang nagpakabit ng tarp sa private property niya to express his support. Maraming salamat po,” he said.
This was not the first time Go found himself in a controversy involving streamers promoting him.
Before Go resigned from being the President’s trusted aide, billboards of him sprouted in various locations, which raised questions that he could be violating laws as a public servant./ac