Rappler, Inquirer refutes Bong Go’s ‘fake news’ allegation

Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go. (Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Media entities Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler issued a statement on Monday in response to the allegation of Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go that both news outlets spread “fake news” in their reports on the P15.7-billion Philippine Navy frigate project.

Speaking at the Senate hearing on the controversial warships deal on February 19, Go said that the Inquirer’s report on the sale of two warships from Hyundai Heavy Industries to the Philippine Navy is fake news.

“In the preparation of the said news reports, the Inquirer relied on the documents it secured from reliable sources which were authenticated by military officers who are knowledgeable with the transaction,” Inquirer said in a statement.

The media entity explained that they “sought the sides of Go and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and published their statements.”

Inquirer added that its headlines on the news reports “Duterte top aide says he did not intervene in choice of Navy supplier P15.7 billion warship programs” and “DND clears top DU30 aide in warship deal” only show that the news outlet was fair and balanced in presenting the sides of all concerned parties.

“The Inquirer adheres to the principles of fairness and accuracy in its news reports,” it stressed.

Apart from Inquirer, Go also accused Rappler of “irresponsible journalism” and “malicious” report over its  January 16 news report “Bong Go intervenes in P15.5-B project to acquire PH warships.” Go said that the news outfit’s report on the issue was a “fake news.”

Rappler defended that its investigative report was based on Frigates Acquisition Project (FAP) documents they obtained from sources acquainted with the issues surrounding the 2017 project.

“Go and his office were named in at least 3 documents exchanged between Malacañang, the Department of National Defense (DND), and the Philippine Navy while the selection of the Combat Management System (CMS) was being debated,” the media entity said.

Rappler explained that the authenticity of the three documents “was never challenged” as it provided strong proof to show Go’s alleged intervention in the frigates deal.

“Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who worked in Go’s office, attested to the authenticity of the documents even as they both now say Go had nothing to do with their actions,” it said.

“We sought out Go and Lorenzana and highlighted their denials in the report being questioned. We published these as part of our adherence to fairness and balance in our reporting,” it added.

During the Senate hearing, Go accused both Inquirer and Rappler of “irresponsible reporting” for causing controversy on the multibillion-peso project, saying that it only became an issue after the two news outfits published “fake news” which stated that he meddled in the process.

“Ang pinag uusapan ngayon ay naging isyu lamang nang maglabas ang Rappler at Inquirer ng fake news at sinabing ako daw ay nakialam. Lahat ng ito ay nagsimula sa isang irresponsible reporting (What we are talking about is the issue that Rappler and Inquirer produced fake news saying that I intervened in the frigate project. It all began in an irresponsible reporting),” Go said.

The issue surfaced following reports that Go supposedly gave Lorenzana a “white paper” in January 2017 regarding the combat management system’s (CMS) supplier which will be installed in the warships.

Lorenzana then gave the document to the former Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Ronald Jose Mercado for comment in a note he wrote along with it: “To Admiral Mercado, Ronald, This was given to me by Bong Go. Go over it and prepare a report/rebuttal to be submitted to the Pres.”

Go insisted that he did not interfere in the acquisition of the frigates and even in the selection of their CMS, and stressed that his name was just dragged into the issue to “malign” the administration under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Go asked the Senate to proceed with its hearing into fake news, calling on lawmakers to look into the reports of the media outfits.