Accusations vs Bong Go meant to “discredit” Duterte administration: Palace

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. (ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday tagged the accusations hurled against Special Assistant to President Christopher “Bong” Go as an attack to “discredit” the Duterte administration.

“Ang mga issues na binabato ngayon sa mga administrasyon nagkakasabay-sabay at nagpapakita na parang may hirit na naman na i-discredit itong ating administrasyon. Eh kami naman, pagdating naman dito sa communication, bumato sila, sasagot kami [The present issues against the administration were all thrown at the same time, and it showed that there is a move to discredit our administration. For us, when it comes here in the communication; they will throw, we will answer],” Roque said told reporters.

Go has been accused of intervening in the selection of the Combat Management System (CMS) supplier for two Navy warships, an accusation President Rodrigo Duterte belied by saying that any papers sent to his office are forwarded to the appropriate departments.

“If the subject matter here is about transportation, it goes to Tugade,” Duterte earlier said.

Sacked Philippine Navy’s Flag-Officer-In-Command (FOIC) Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado earlier clarified that Go has never been involved in the acquisition of multi-billion-peso navy frigates.

“Apparently because of that, there were insinuations about Secretary Bong Go, and you know I just like to come out because when I was FOIC (Flag-Officer-in-Command), he never once, with so many times we were together in many foreign Navy ships and there was never an instance, not once that he even asked me about the frigate, never,” Mercado told reporters.

In 2016, the Philippine government signed a contract with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the building of two frigates to be delivered to the Philippine Navy in 2020 and 2021.