Bong Go: Still too early to talk about politics

Celebrity supporters of Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go show support by writing on the dedication “wall” at the launching of Go’s senatorial bid at Ilustrado restaturant in Intramuros, Manila on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. INQUIRER PHOTO / Grig C. Montegrande

While saying it is still too early to talk about the next year’s elections, Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said on Wednesday that he was now considering to run for the Senate.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte backed his senatorial bid and Go’s friends and supporters kicked off a movement urging him to run.

“All these started as a joke, but with the overwhelming support and encouragement of no less than Mayor Rody and his supporters, I cannot just set this aside,” Go said in a statement.

“But like I said, it is still too early to talk about politics. Trabaho po muna ako para sa Pangulo at para sa bayan. At tulad po ng sinabi ko sa Senado, at maging sa umpisa pa man, magsisilbi po ako kay Mayor Rody hanggang kamatayan,” he added.

(I will keep on working for the President and the country first. And like what I’ve said in the Senate, and right from the very start, I will serve Mayor Rody until the day I die.)

The campaign, dubbed as “Ready, Set, Go!”, was officially launched on Wednesday and attended by several Cabinet members, including Communications Sec. Martin Andanar, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, and Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo.

It was reminiscent of Duterte’s bid for the presidency in 2016, in which he had repeatedly said that he would not run for office despite a public campaign called “Duterte for President Movement” urging him to run.

READ: Clamor for Bong Go’s Senate run kicks off  

Go had repeatedly said early this year that he would not run for office because he only wanted to serve Duterte “til kingdom come.”

Duterte first floated the idea of Go running for the Senate. In a speech early this year, the President said that he had told Go to attend the Senate investigation on the Philippine Navy’s P15.7-billion frigate, saying it would be his aide’s “golden opportunity” to become a senator.

Go has been accused of intervening in the Navy’s selection of the weapons system supplier but the aide had denied this and said he was open for a probe to take place.

He has been the President’s assistant since 1998.