MANILA, Philippines — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday blasted former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for making “recycled” and “fabricated” accusations ahead of the 2022 national elections as he dared the latter to file a case against him instead.
“Panis na isyu itong pinapalabas ni Trillanes. Wala na bang bago? Katunayan, noong Setyembre 2018 pa, hindi pa ako senador, ay sinagot ko na ito at hinamon ko pa nga si Trillanes na imbestigahan nya at magsampa siya ng kaso,” Go said in a statement.
(The issue Trillanes is exposing is already stale. Is there anything new? In fact, back in September 2018, when I wasn’t still a senator, I already answered those accusations and even challenged him to investigate and file a case.)
“Hinding-hindi ako uurong sa kaso dahil alam ko na malinis ang aking konsensya at wala akong batas na nilabag,” he added.
(I will not back off from any case because I know my conscience is clear and I did not violate any laws.)
Go issued the statement as a reaction to Trillanes’ accusations against him and President Rodrigo Duterte.
Trillanes, in a YouTube video posted Monday, claimed that Go’s family won government projects worth as much as P6.6 billion under Duterte — P1.5 billion when the Chief Executive was still Davao City mayor and P5.1 billion on the first two years of Duterte’s presidency.
But Go said these accusations were “recycled” and “rehashed” and the figures were “bloated.”
“Ngayon na papalapit na naman ang eleksyon, nire-recycle na naman niya ang lumang fake news. Lumang tugtugin, lumang basurang itinatapon sa akin. Kumita na yang style mo, Trillanes. Kumita na ang style mo na magtatapon ka ng maitim na putik para lang ikaw naman ang magmukhang maputi at malinis!” the senator said.
(Now that the election is approaching, he is recycling this old fake news. This has been said before, old trash that’s being thrown at me. We already saw that style, throwing mud so that you will appear white and clean.)
Go maintained that the transactions between the construction companies of Go’s father and half-brother and the government were “legitimate” and went through the proper process.
Besides, Go said he does not have a hand in these companies and has not benefited “from even a single peso.”
“Hindi pa ako ipinanganak sa mundong ito, andyan na ang negosyo ng pamilya ko. Bagama’t hindi ko naman mapigilan ang isang marangal at lehitimong negosyo dahil nakapagbibigay ito ng maayos na trabaho at kabuhayan sa mga tao, hinding-hindi ako nakikialam dyan he said.
(I wasn’t yet born in this world, my family already had that business. While I can’t stop a noble and legitimate business because it gives employment to people, I have never interfered in the business.)
“Wala akong benepisyong nakukuha dyan, at mas lalong walang tulong o advantage na nakukuha ‘yan mula sa akin dahil may delicadeza ako na ihiwalay ang aking pamilya sa aking tungkulin sa gobyerno,” he added.
(I do not benefit from that, most of all, my family’s business does not get help or advantage from me because I have delicadeza to separate my family from my service in the government.)