Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go downplayed on Wednesday former Sen. Sonny Trillanes’ filing of a plunder case against him, calling it a “rehashed accusation” meant to taint his name.
In a statement, Go said it is “obvious” that the “Traditional Trillanes” who allegedly resorts to black propaganda is back because the election season is near.
“Alam mo, Trillanes, sa totoo lang, hindi ka na dapat patulan pa kasi aksaya ka lang sa panahon,” said Go.
(You know what, Trillanes, in all honesty, you should not anymore be given attention to since you are just a waste of time.)
“Pero mabuti na rin ito upang malaman ng lahat ang katotohanan na wala ka naman talagang ibang ginagawa kundi mag-recycle ng isyu na ikaw rin ang nag-imbento upang linlangin ang taumbayan,” said Go.
(But maybe this would be better for everyone to know the truth that you do nothing but recycle issues that you invented to fool the public.)
Trillanes on Wednesday morning filed before the Department of Justice a plunder case against Go and former President Rodrigo Duterte over the alleged anomaly in the Philippine Navy Frigate Acquisition project.
READ: Trillanes files new plunder complaint vs Duterte, Go over frigate deal
Countering this allegation, Go insisted that the issue had been resolved even when Trillanes was still a senator.
“Mismong ang Senado, sa pamamagitan ng Senate Committee on National Defense na pinamumunuan noon ni dating Senator Gregorio Honasan, na ang nag-imbestiga sa nasabing isyu, at wala namang napatunayang anomalya,” said Go.
(The Senate itself, through the Senate committee on National Defense headed by former Sen. Gregorio Honasan, investigated the said issue and they found no anomalies.)
“Ang noo’y Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana na rin ang nagsabi sa Senate hearing na wala akong kinalaman at, kailanman, hindi ako nakialam o nanghimasok sa Frigate Acquisition Project (FAP) ng Philippine Navy,” the senator recalled.
(Then Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana himself testified in the Senate hearing that I was not involved, and there was never a time that I intervened or intervened in the Frigate Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy.)
“Ito rin ang sinabi ng dating Navy Flag Officer-in-Command na si Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado sa kaparehong Senate hearing—na ni minsan ay hindi ko siya nilapitan ukol sa FAP o kinausap para maimpluwensiyahan ang kanyang desisyon bilang end-user,” he also remembered.
(Former Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado, in the same hearing, said there was no instance when I approached him about FAP. Neither did I talk with him to influence him as an end-user.)
“At panghuli, ang noo’y Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad, ang chairperson ng Frigate Project Management Team, na mismo ang nagsabi – walang anomalya, walang problema, no intervention.”
(Finally, then Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad, the chairperson of the Frigate Project Management Team, himself said – no anomaly, no problem, no intervention.)
“This issue has once again been rehashed and recycled for obvious politicking purposes. This is a clear case of destructive politics and sure sign of desperation out to malign me and the former President,” Go observed.
“Nevertheless, I welcome these moves to finally put an end to these lies,” the senator added.