(PNA file photo)
MANILA – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Friday dismissed as “fake news” a report that he is backing the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.
“(That is) obviously fake news. Sayang oras kung patulan pa lahat ng fake news (It’s a waste of time to react to that fake news),” Go said in a press statement.
Go was reacting to Politiko’s Sept. 30 report that he “was forced to change his current priorities and shift to supporting a formidable alternative candidate like Moreno.”
According to the report, Go was purportedly in “constant” communication with Domagoso’s camp to form a “potential alliance” with the presidential aspirant.
The report, citing “Palace and congressional insiders,” said Go sees Moreno as someone “who could possibly shield him from future scrutiny and possible charges,” amid controversies hounding the government’s purchase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.
Go said he has no time for politics, as he is focused on helping President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration in its fight against Covid-19.
“Lahat na nga ng oras namin nakatuon sa pagtulong sa gobyerno na maiahon ang ating mga kababayan na malampasan ang pandemyang ito. Bakit namin sasayangin ang oras namin sa pulitika ng ibang kampo (I am spending my time to help the government in assisting our fellow countrymen to ensure their recovery amid the pandemic. Why would I waste my time for the political plans of other camps)?” he said.
Go, who was Duterte’s long-time aide before being elected as senator, added that he would always stay loyal to the Chief Executive.
“Tulad naman ng sabi ko noon, hindi ko iiwan si Pangulong Duterte hanggang sa aking huling hininga. Kung saan siya, doon ako. Pagdating sa aming prinsipyo, pagseserbisyo at pati na rin sa pulitika, walang iwanan (Like what I said, I will never leave President Duterte until my last breath. Wherever he is, I will be there. I will never leave him, be it in terms of our principle, service, and politics),” he said.
Go has been proclaimed as the presidential candidate of the ruling party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
He, however, declined to accept his nomination as PDP-Laban’s standard-bearer, saying he is “not interested in the presidency” and would rather devote his time helping Filipinos amid the prevailing pandemic.
Go has also been dragged into the Pharmally controversy, but Warren Liong, former director of the Budget department’s Procurement Service, has said the lawmaker had no involvement in the procurement of Covid-19 medical supplies.
Go said he expects there will be “more fake news” that will be thrown against him, considering that the May 2022 elections are drawing near.
“Hindi na bago na madami na namang kumakalat na fake news lalo na’t papalapit na ang eleksyon. Asahan natin na dadami pa yan sa susunod na mga araw kung kaya’t dapat maging mapanuri tayo sa mga impormasyon na nakukuha natin (There’s nothing new in the proliferation of fake news, especially since the elections are drawing near. We expect more fake news in the coming days, so we have to be more circumspect in the information that we are receiving),” he said. (PNA)
“(That is) obviously fake news. Sayang oras kung patulan pa lahat ng fake news (It’s a waste of time to react to that fake news),” Go said in a press statement.
Go was reacting to Politiko’s Sept. 30 report that he “was forced to change his current priorities and shift to supporting a formidable alternative candidate like Moreno.”
According to the report, Go was purportedly in “constant” communication with Domagoso’s camp to form a “potential alliance” with the presidential aspirant.
The report, citing “Palace and congressional insiders,” said Go sees Moreno as someone “who could possibly shield him from future scrutiny and possible charges,” amid controversies hounding the government’s purchase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.
Go said he has no time for politics, as he is focused on helping President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration in its fight against Covid-19.
“Lahat na nga ng oras namin nakatuon sa pagtulong sa gobyerno na maiahon ang ating mga kababayan na malampasan ang pandemyang ito. Bakit namin sasayangin ang oras namin sa pulitika ng ibang kampo (I am spending my time to help the government in assisting our fellow countrymen to ensure their recovery amid the pandemic. Why would I waste my time for the political plans of other camps)?” he said.
Go, who was Duterte’s long-time aide before being elected as senator, added that he would always stay loyal to the Chief Executive.
“Tulad naman ng sabi ko noon, hindi ko iiwan si Pangulong Duterte hanggang sa aking huling hininga. Kung saan siya, doon ako. Pagdating sa aming prinsipyo, pagseserbisyo at pati na rin sa pulitika, walang iwanan (Like what I said, I will never leave President Duterte until my last breath. Wherever he is, I will be there. I will never leave him, be it in terms of our principle, service, and politics),” he said.
Go has been proclaimed as the presidential candidate of the ruling party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
He, however, declined to accept his nomination as PDP-Laban’s standard-bearer, saying he is “not interested in the presidency” and would rather devote his time helping Filipinos amid the prevailing pandemic.
Go has also been dragged into the Pharmally controversy, but Warren Liong, former director of the Budget department’s Procurement Service, has said the lawmaker had no involvement in the procurement of Covid-19 medical supplies.
Go said he expects there will be “more fake news” that will be thrown against him, considering that the May 2022 elections are drawing near.
“Hindi na bago na madami na namang kumakalat na fake news lalo na’t papalapit na ang eleksyon. Asahan natin na dadami pa yan sa susunod na mga araw kung kaya’t dapat maging mapanuri tayo sa mga impormasyon na nakukuha natin (There’s nothing new in the proliferation of fake news, especially since the elections are drawing near. We expect more fake news in the coming days, so we have to be more circumspect in the information that we are receiving),” he said. (PNA)
