MANILA, Philippines — Members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet went all out in their support for the top leader’s special assistant Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday as they attended the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security’s investigation into the alleged controversies surrounding the P16-billion acquisition of two Philippine Navy frigates.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, Solicitor General Jose Calida, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino, and National Food Authority Council Chairman Leoncio Evasco were just some of the officials present at the Senate hearing.
With Go as his fellow resource persons were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.
Even Duterte supporter and actor Robin Padilla was at the hearing.
Sec Andanar is also here in the Senate to support Bong Go. He said Other palace ofcls will come here– Exec Sec Medialdea, Sec Harry Roque, Sec Aguirre and Sec Panel. @News5AKSYON pic.twitter.com/AmXuoEyne5
— marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) February 19, 2018
Asec Mocha Uson also present in the Senate to support SAP Bong Go as he faces Senate inquiry on alleged irregularity in the procurement of Navy frigates @News5AKSYON pic.twitter.com/RE70E2TM7v
— marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) February 19, 2018
Wearing t-shirts with the text “#ISupportBongGo”, crusaders for Go staged a rally outside the Senate prior to the committee hearing.
Duterte’s special assistant spoke to them saying, “Hindi ko kayo ipapahiya. Wala kaming kinalaman sa korupsyon. Ang sasabihin ko lang sa hearing, ‘Ma at Pa.’ Malay ko at pakialam ko diyan [I will not let you down. We have nothing to do with corruption. All I will say at the hearing is, I have no idea and I don’t care about that issue].”
SAP Bong Go tells his supporters who staged rally outside the Senate "hindi ko kayo ipapahiya. Wala kaming kinalaman sa korupsyon. Ang sasabihin ko lang sa hearing. Ma at Pa. malay ko at pakialam ko dyan." @News5AKSYON pic.twitter.com/ZNPjuRDRZ6
— marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) February 19, 2018
Supporters of SAP Bong Go stage rally outside the Senate as the Committee on National Defense is set to hold hearing on the alleged linkage of Go to Navy procurement of combat management system @News5AKSYON pic.twitter.com/s548BsEBdn
— marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) February 19, 2018
Go allegedly endorsed a letter to the Department of National Defense regarding the frigate project.