“Malay ko, Pakialam ko”, says Bong Go over Frigate deal

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — “Malay ko, Pakialam ko,” a phrase Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go,  delivered before the cheering crowd outside the Senate Building, Monday morning, February 19, 2018.

Go was invited for a Senate inquiry over his reported intervention in the P18-billion  Frigate deal of the Philippine Navy.

While Go’s vehicle was closing the  building, placard-bearing supporters chanted “Bong Go! Bong Go!

Go then  alighted from his vehicle, went to his supporters and said “Ang masabi ko dalawa lang, Malay ko at Pakialam ko dyan.”

He added, he is just serving President Rodrigo Duterte “Nagserbisyo lang po ako,  nakakataba po ng puso ang inyong suporta,
maraming, maraming, salamat po, from the buttom of my heart.”

Go’s name is being dragged into the delayed Frigate deal, a reason why he  went to the Senate Hearing upon the invitation of Senator Gregorio Honasan, chair of the Senate Defense Committee Monday morning.

Being the only person beside the President for years, Go, is often referred to as the “Only way” way to the Duterte, Go’s move and actions are also interpreted to have the “Blessings” and imprimatur of Duterte.

A routing slip which connotes an instruction over the Frigate deal from Malacañang to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza found it’s way to the media agencies, a vague note,  tainted the deal which prompted the Senate to call for an inquiry.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler picked up the “routing slip” issue and started to run stories,  which started to cast doubt about the deal.

Go has maintained that he never intervened in the deal, even as a note by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana stated that a white paper endorsing a supplier of the frigates’ Combat Management System (CMS) came from him.

Senator Loren Legarda said  it was very clear that Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go did not intervene in the controversial Frigate Acquisition Project (FAP) of the Philippine Navy and his appearance in the Senate is just a waste of time.

“Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, I think we are wasting the time of Sec. Bong Go sitting here because it’s very clear, wala naman siyang kinalaman dito (He is involved in this matter.),” she said during the Senate investigation into the PHP 18-billion warship deal by the Committee on National Defense and Security.

The Senate inquiry ended without any recommendations or findings as yet.

The inquiry started at 9:00 in the morning and ended  at about 4:00 in the afternoon.

After the seven-hour Senate Hearing, Go, came out clean.

The inquiry maybe over, but  damage has been done to persons or institutions which have been dragged into the issue.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph