Amid possible ethics probe, Go says he has ‘nothing to fear, hide’

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go expresses his full support for the confirmation of the nominations and ad interim appointment of 40 senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the hybrid meeting of the Committee on National Defense of the Commission on Appointments Wednesday, September 1, 2021. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — As some of his colleagues raised the possibility of lodging an ethics complaint against him, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed readiness to face investigation, saying he has “nothing to fear and hide.”

“I respect this institution that I belong to and I hope that fairness and due process will always be upheld in these halls. Kaya kung may mag-file man ng reklamo laban sa akin sa committee on ethics, rerespetuhin ko naman ang desisyon ng mga kapwa kong senador,” Go said in a statement on Wednesday.

(I respect this institution that I belong to and I hope that fairness and due process will always be upheld in these halls. That’s why if they will file a complaint against me before the ethics committee, I will respect the decision of my fellow senators.)

“Kung gusto nila akong imbestigahan, imbestigahan po nila. Wala naman akong itinatago. Wala rin akong kinatatakutan dahil alam kong wala akong ginawang mali, lalo na pagdating sa disorderly o unethical behavior na sakop ng komiteng iyan,” he added.

(If they want to investigate me, they can. I have nothing to hide. I also have nothing to hide because I know I’m not doing anything wrong, especially when it comes to disorderly or unethical behavior which the committee covers.)

In an ANC interview earlier in the day, Senate ethics chairman Senator Manny Pacquiao vowed action should a complaint be filed against Go over his links to personalities being dragged into the procurement of allegedly overpriced personal protective equipment and other medical supplies.

Among them is former Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service head Christopher Lao, who lawmakers have been grilling over the controversial procurement.

READ: Ex-DBM Usec Lao denies working for Bong Go; solon shows him letter he signed as SAP’s Usec

“As chairman of the ethics committee, kung may mga reklamo po na mai-submit sa committee ko po, mararapat lamang na aksyunan ko [As chairman of the ethics committee, if a complaint is filed, I have to take action],” Pacquiao said.

He agreed that Go would need to further clarify his connection with Lao.

Go had already repeatedly denied that Lao worked under him.

“I hope yung nga tanong na i-ask sa kanya or kay Christopher Lao ay hindi mao-offend ang kasama kong Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go dahil ginagampanan lang ang tungkulin namain para mabigyan ng lunas o clarification ang lahat ng mga issue in aid of legislation,” Pacquiao went on.

(I hope that questions directed to him or to Christopher Lao will not offend Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go because I’m only doing my job to resolve and seek clarification on the issue in aid of legislation.)

Before this, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the blue ribbon committee investigating the allegedly anomalous procurement deals, said at least four senators would support a possible ethics investigation against Go.

“It may lead to that. So I asked my fellow senators ‘Ano ba sa tingin niyo? When push comes to shove, we may have to ask…Ayoko magimbestiga ng kasama natin but we have to kung aabot doon’,” Gordon said in an online interview with reporters Tuesday.

(It may lead to that. So I asked my fellow senators ‘What do you think? When push comes to shove, we may have to ask…I don’t want to investigate a colleague of ours but we have to if it leads to that.)

“We may have to investigate because that will go to the ethics committee at the very least,” he added.

READ: Yang, 2 lawyers with Go, Duterte ties called to Senate probe

‘I will resign’

Go reiterated that he will resign should it be proven that he has been involved in corruption.

“At kung napatunayan nilang may ginawa akong mali, tatanggapin ko kung anuman ang nasa batas o Senate rules,” he said.

(And if it’s proven that I did anything wrong, I will accept what the law and Senate rules say.)

“Wala pa naman nafifile na reklamo sa ngayon kaya hindi pa ako makakapag-komento sa mga paratang nila. Pero gaya ng sinasabi ko noon pa, kung may alegasyon kayo, kasuhan ninyo gamit ang tamang proseso. At kung mapapatunayan na may maling nagawa, parusahan,” he added.

(There is no complaint filed against me that’s why I can’t comment on their allegations. But as I’ve said before, if there are allegations, file a case, file a case through the right process. And if you prove something, then punishment is in order.)

/MUF