MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s longtime aide Christopher “Bong” Go has nothing to hide as he faces today’s Senate inquiry into alleged irregularities involving the P15.7-billion procurement of two frigates for the Philippine Navy, according to a government spokesman.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque yesterday expressed confidence that Go would be able to disprove allegations that he meddled in the project.
“Expect Secretary Bong Go to tell all, and as instructed by the President, he would likely ask for a transparent Senate inquiry to show that he and the administration have nothing to hide. He would squarely answer questions, in full view of the public,” Roque said.
“The whole truth would be finally known... We can expect that the allegations against the special assistant to the President is just a bum steer or fake news that is forcibly linked to the administration,” he added.
Go was accused of favoring a South Korean firm to be the supplier of the combat management system of the Navy’s frigate program.
He has denied the accusation, saying he never intervened in the procurement of the weapons system.
Roque reiterated that the allegations against Go are “untrue and unfounded,” saying the Aquino administration was the one that chose Hyundai Heavy Industries as the supplier of the frigates, including the supply of the boat, navigation, communications and combat management systems.
He said the Duterte administration merely signed the notice of award, which declared the supplier as the winning bidder.
Roque said that under Republic Act 9184 or the Procurement Law, the notice of award cannot be left unsigned unless there is basis for not doing so.
“Before signing the notice, (Defense) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana consulted his lawyers and all officers of the Philippine Navy. Since there is no hindrance, it was signed,” the spokesman told radio station dzMM.
Roque also refuted Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s claim that Go was not involved in the frigates deal because he was just taking orders from the President.
“Bong Go is not involved not because someone is giving him orders but because he or anyone in the administration did not participate in that project,” Roque said. “Lobbying is no longer possible because the terms and conditions are indicated in the bidding documents. They can no longer be changed.”
Asked if Go would make an exposé during the Senate hearing, Roque said, “The President’s aide would only bring with him the truth. We are not hiding anything. If there are lapses, we are sure that the Duterte administration is not responsible for it.”
Cabinet officials, including Roque, presidential communications Secretary Martin Andanar and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as well as defense officials will attend the Senate hearing as an expression of support for Go.
The President has defended Go, saying his aide is a billionaire and does not need to profit from the frigate deal.
Fair probe
Sen. Gregorio Honasan vowed to conduct a fair and objective probe into the frigate acquisition deal of the Navy, but said the inquiry could be held behind closed doors if the hearing would be tackling sensitive security matters.
The Senate committee on national defense and security, chaired by Honasan, will start today the probe, which was prompted by a resolution filed by Trillanes.
“First, this is in aid of legislation. We are going to focus on the government procurement process, if there is anything we need to amend in the law,” Honasan said in a telephone interview.
“I have no intention to subject any person or any institution to unwarranted trial by publicity. The committee is not a court of law,” he said.
Honasan said the committee would also determine if there was any abuse of discretion by the parties to the contract, whose negotiations started during the Aquino administration.
Apart from Go, also invited to the hearing are Lorenzana, Navy flag-officer-in-command Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad and his predecessor Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado.
Lorenzana earlier said Mercado was removed from his post for allegedly opposing the done deal to buy two frigates from the South Korean shipbuilder, Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Trillanes said he was not questioning the awarding of the entire deal, but only the decision of the defense department to give the contract to a company preferred by Hyundai – Hanwa – over Tacticos Thales, which was preferred by Mercado.
“Until now, Mercado was not given an opportunity to clear his name. His removal remains a mystery,” Trillanes told dzBB.
“Who knows, maybe there will be a witness or some documents will come out in the hearing and we will know what really happened,” he said.
Trillanes believes that “somebody higher” than Lorenzana ordered Mercado’s removal from his post.
Empedrad maintained that there was no anomaly in the procurement of frigates.
“With the Senate probe, at least the truth will come out,” Empedrad told reporters, noting that he and Mercado are on good terms.
Empedrad believes that Go had nothing to do with the Navy’s frigate program.
The military’s frigate acquisition project was marred with controversy after Mercado was relieved from his post as Navy chief last December. – With Paolo Romero, Michael Punongbayan