Duterte: Bong Go did not ask Bato to reinstate CIDG 8 chief

President Rodrigo Duterte is inside an official state car with Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go following a meeting at the State Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Sept. 29. KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photo

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday defended his special assistant Christopher “Bong” Go amid allegations the aide called Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to reinstate Supt. Marvin Marcos, one of the police officials involved in the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

“Huwag kayong maniwala na si Bong Go ang tumawag kay Gen. Bato (Don’t believe Bong Go called Gen. Bato),” Duterte said during his speech at the graduation ceremony of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group Motorcycle Riding Course in Davao City.

On Thursday, Sen. Leila de Lima, citing sources, identified Go as the one who made a call to Dela Rosa and asked to have Marcos and his group reinstated to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8.

The President said Marcos was tainted with drug links while Chief Supt. Asher Dolina’s reputation was clean.

“Si (Asher) Dolina, malinis. Si Marcos, may tama (Dolina is clean. Marcos is not),” Duterte said.

Dolina, who was police director for Eastern Visayas in 2015, had been accused by arrested drug lord Kerwin Espinosa of receiving drug protection money.