Bong Go, most trusted aide of President Duterte, exchanges friendly banter with actor Philip Salvador during a rally in Cebu City last Sunday. Photo by Dale Israel/Inquirer Visayas
CEBU CITY — It was a night of song numbers and comical skit.
Former presidential assistant to the President Bong Go had a friendly banter with actor Philip Salvador over the latter’s relationship with actress Kris Aquino.
Like Go, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa also showed off their vocal skills, hoping to win the votes of the province with the largest voting population at more than 3 million.
All these happened on Sunday night when senatorial candidates of the administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan held its first rally in Cebu.
It was the first time for Go, a close friend of the President, to formally address the Cebuano voters in a rally.
Although he briefly told the crowd of 10,500 people gathered at Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City about his plan to institutionalize the Malasakit Centers through legislation if elected into office, he spent most of his time exchanging jokes with Salvador, former lover of Aquino with whom she has a son.
The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop manned by staff from the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office where patients could avail themselves of speedy medical assistance.
He also said he planned to expand the terms of barangay captains to four years and create a Department of OFW, without elaborating what would happen to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Overseas Workers Welfare Office if a new agency is created.
Instead, he spent most of his time joking around with Salvador whom he called to share the stage with him.
“Sige ni siya balik balik sa Davao, ka 20 times. Sa sige niya ug balik sa Davao, naka uyab siya didto nagbilin siya ug upat ka anak (He always goes to Davao, at least 20 times. He eventually had a girlfriend whom he had four children),” said Go, to the delight of the crowd.
Salvador laughed and denied Go’s claim.
“Kunwari ka pa, naloko mo nga si Kris Aquino (Stop pretending, you even duped Kris Aquino),” Go told Salvador.
Salvador went on to explain his side: “Teka muna, alam nyo hindi ko niloko si Kris. Alam nyo’ng minahal ko si Kris (Wait a minute, you know that I did not dupe Kris. You know that I loved Kris).”
Go continued teasing Salvador: “Hindi mo niloko si Kris? Eh, nag away si Mocha at si Kris nadamay pa ako. (You didn’t fool Kris? Kris and Mocha got into a fight and I was dragged into the fray).”
At that point, Mocha Uson, former assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office who is running as the first nominee of the partylist AA Kasosyo, went up the stage and shook Salvador’s hand.
Go then asked the crowd to support Uson, a controversial vlogger who campaigned for Mr. Duterte during the presidential elections.
Go continued making fun on Salvador: “Kung hindi mo niloko si Kris, taghoy ka muna (If you really did not fool Kris, you whistle).”
When the actor failed to do so, Go said it only meant that Salvador was lying.
He then asked the actor to sing “Nandito Ako,” the theme song of Salvador’s movie with Aquino of the same title.
“Sa pelikulang yun. Duon nya nakilala si Kris Aquino, Duon nya niligawan si Kris Aquino. At doon niya niloko si Kris Aquino (In that movie: that is where he met Kris Aquino. That is where he courted Kris Aquino. That is where he duped Kris Aquino),” said Go, before Salvador belted out.
After Salvador sang, it was Go’s turn to sing “Maging Sino Ka Man.”
But it was not only Go who entertained the crowd through song numbers.
Pimentel, former Senate president who is seeking reelection, sang a ballad which he offered to his new wife, Kathryna.
Even Dela Rosa showed off his vocal powers on stage and sang “You are the reason.”