Senator Bong Go. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — In saying that anyone should be welcome to contribute in the country’s fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Senator Christopher “Bong” Go told officials who are not helping combat the crisis to just “quarantine your mouth.”
Go, long-time aide of President Rodrigo Duterte, issued this pronouncement after a Presidential Anti-Corruption Commissioner (PACC) official said Vice President Leni Robredo should be investigated for supposedly competing with and undermining the national government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
“Welcome dapat lahat ng mga gustong tumulong. Welcome rin ang mga bumabatikos na magbigay ng kanilang rekomendasyon,” Go said in a statement on Thursday.
(We should welcome all those who want to help. Critics are also welcome to say their recommendations).
“Maging parte sana tayong lahat ng solusyon at hindi dumagdag sa problema. Kaya sa mga opisyal diyan na hindi naman nakakatulong, just quarantine your mouth o umalis ka na lang,” he added.
(May we be part of the solution and not add up to the problem. So, officials who are not helping should just quarantine their mouths or just leave).
Opposition senators have earlier expressed outrage over the call to probe the vice president.
“When has helping people become a crime? Is it a crime to look for resources so that our health care workers are protected when they attend to the sick?” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros said in a joint statement.
“Is it a crime to offer free shuttle vehicles so that our essential service providers in this unprecedented shutdown of business operations can get to work?” they added.
Robredo has rolled out several projects through the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in support of the country’s frontliners addressing COVID-19.
The OVP earlier raised P36 million for the procurement of PPEs for health workers. As of March 31, Robredo said they were able to distribute over 32,000 sets of personal protective equipment in the National Capital Region and Luzon.
A free shuttle service for health workers was also launched following the suspension of public transportation due to the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
The OVP also opened free dormitories that will serve as temporary shelters of the frontliners.