Senator Christopher “Bong” Go (File photo)
MANILA – Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday vowed to continuously support the campaign against deep-rooted, systemic and systematic corruption in government.
Go, the former top aide of President Rodrigo Duterte said he would not hesitate to “talk like an opposition” to expose wrongdoings and hold the culprits accountable.
“As a legislator, parte ng mandato ko ang mag-fiscalize at siguraduhin na nasusunod o naiimplementa ang mga batas. Sa mga kasamahan ko sa gobyerno, kahit magka-alyado tayo, basta may mali, magsasalita po ako. Umabot na sa punto na sinabihan ako ng Pangulo na ‘to talk like an opposition’ kapag corruption na ang pinag-uusapan (As a legislator, part of my mandate is to fiscalize and ensure that laws are complied with or properly implemented. To my colleagues in government, even if we are allies, if there is something wrong, I will talk. It has reached the point that the President told me to talk like an opposition when corruption is the issue),” he said.
He was referring to President Rodrigo Duterte’s statements during his Talk to the People address Monday night.
In his public address, the Chief Executive reminded Go that he can always use the forum in the Senate to “expose wrongdoings” and “expose criminality”.
“Hindi po natin bibiguin ang nais ni Pangulong Duterte na gamitin natin ang aking mandato bilang isang Senador para i-expose ang anumang uri ng katiwalian sa gobyerno o kriminalidad sa ating bansa (We will not disappoint President Duterte’s wish for me to use my mandate as a senator to expose whatever kind of corruption in government, or criminality in our country),” Go said. “Trabaho ko po ito bilang senador at boses ng mga Pilipino sa Senado (This is my duty as a senator, and voice of Filipinos in the Senate).”
Go’s resolve was evident during the resumption of the Senate probe on the various allegations of corruption and anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
During the inquiry, Go said he welcomes the leaves of absence filed by several senior regional officers, saying it should be followed by the preventive suspension of all PhilHealth officials allegedly involved in the systemic corruption in the agency to prevent them from obstructing the course of various investigations.
“‘Yung mga iba pang sangkot pero hindi matinag at hindi nag-file ng leaves of absence nila, dapat i-preventive suspension na kung may basehan naman po. Dapat pilayan po ang mga magnanakaw para hindi na po makagalaw. Dapat ngayon na po. Kung pwede lang putulin ‘yung daliri. Ang layunin nito ay mas maging malalim at mas mabusisi ang imbestigasyon. Para ito sa bayan at para malaman na rin natin ang katotohanan (To the others involved but would not budge and will not file their leaves of absence, they should be meted with preventive suspension if there is basis. Thieves should be crippled to prevent their moves. It should be done now. If only possible, cut off their fingers. The objective is for a deeper and more comprehensive investigation. This is for the nation and for us to also know the truth),” Go said.
He also suggested to the Senate Committee of the Whole to call even the low-ranked PhilHealth employees to ferret out the full scope of the anomalies in the agency.
“Sa lahat ng ito, isa lang po ang malinaw sa akin (to all this, only one thing is clear for me): the public deserves to know the truth. Ngayon higit kailanman, kailangan na kailangan ng tao ng isang gobyernong malinis at maaasahan (Now, more than ever, the public really needs a clean and reliable government),” Go said. (PNA)
