Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go (MALACAÑANG POOL PHOTO)
Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go on Wednesday said he would resign if it could be proven that he intervened in the P15.7-billion project of the Department of National Defense (DND) to acquire combat management systems for the warships of the Philippine Navy.
“My name has been unfairly dragged in this issue,” Go said in a statement. “I am not privy to the frigate transaction of the DND. I have never seen the controversial document [white paper] that is alleged to have come from me, much less, handed the same to [Defense Secretary Delfin] Lorenzana.”
“In fact, I will resign if it can be proven that I intervened,” he added.
The Inquirer first reported on Tuesday that Go had meddled in the Navy’s selection of the weapons system for the frigate project of the government.
READ: Palace had special interest in Navy’s selection of weapons system supplier
The report said Go allegedly wanted Hanwha Thales (HTC) of South Korea to provide to combat management systems (CMS) over the Tacticos CMS of Thales Nederlands.
But presidential spokesperson Harry Roque came Go’s defense, saying that the bidding for the acquisition of the Navy’s two frigates was done during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
“It was Aquino admin that undertook the bidding and chosen the winning bidder,” Roque said in a text message to reporters. “This admin only issued the notice of award, which was ministerial.”
That made it impossible for Go to intervene, he said.
He added that the bidding for a CMS was not done separately.
“The CMS was part of the bidding for frigates. There was no separate bidding for it,” he said. “[The] combat system is part of a warship. [It can’t] be bidded [sic] separately from vessel since [we’re] procuring a warship. Notice of award declared bidder by Aquino admin was for a warship not just a vessel,” he said.
Go also said that the Navy frigate deal was done during the Aquino administration.
“It should be emphasized that the frigate project was already a done deal in 2016 during the time of former Pres. Aquino,” he said. /atm
RELATED