Bong Go not interested in running for senator, says Duterte just joking during Customs event

Special Assistant to the President Secretary Bong Go on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte was only joking that his appearance at the proposed legislative inquiry on the controversial P15.5-billion frigate acquisition project of the Philippine Navy can be his ticket to a Senate seat.

“I would like to publicly state that I am not interested in running for a Senate seat,” Go said in a statement.

Go said Duterte only mentioned the matter “in jest” during the 116th anniversary celebration of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) “in view of my demand to the Senate to conduct a full blown public hearing and get to the bottom of the frigate controversy.”

“I have dedicated my life to serving PRRD [Duterte] and I am committed to stand beside him til kingdom come,” said Go, the President’s closest aide for two decades.

“Joke lang ni PRRD ‘yung pagtakbo ng senador. I’m not interested to run kasi I'm committed to serve Mayor Rody hanggang kamatayan, kung di ako mauna. Sabi ni boss mag-appear ako sa hearing,” he added.

Go said he demanded a public hearing in order to get to the bottom of the issue and to give him the chance to prove that he did not intervene in the project.

The President's closest aide was dragged into the issue after reports that he had allegedly intervened in the selection for the warships' Combat Management System.

Go had belied claims that he at least saw the controversial white paper that linked him to the Philippine Navy frigate project, saying that he is not privy to the transaction of the Department of National Defense.

Duterte also said Go would resign if the reports that he intervened in the acquisition project to acquire new weapons system supplier would be proven true. —KBK, GMA News