SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go has vowed to heed the reminder of President Rodrigo Duterte to call his attention should the senator find irregularities in the utilization of public funds.
“Alam n’yo po, parati naming napag-uusapan ni Pangulong Duterte lalung-lalo na sabi nya, ‘Bong, sa nalalabi kong isang taon at siyam na buwan’, lalabanan daw talaga niya ‘yung korapsyon. Lalabanan namin ang korapsyon sa gobyerno,” Go said during a radio interview on Tuesday, September 8.
“Palagi niyang paalala sa akin: unahin mo lang ang interes ng bawat Pilipino — hindi ka magkakamali dyan,” he shared.
Go also assured that friendships and politics will not get in his and Duterte’s way in fighting corruption.
“Sabi niya na walang pipiliin, walang kaibigan kahit na sino, kahit na kaibigan natin, kahit na tumulong noong kampanya, kahit na kasamahan natin, pag pumasok sa korapsyon ay lalabanan namin,” said Go.
“At sabi niya, we cannot afford na merong ganong mga makakalusot, lalung-lalo na sa kanyang mga gabinete at sa kanyang administrasyon. Dahil iyan po ang makakasira. Nabanggit niya ‘masisira tayo niyan’,” he added.
The senator also mentioned that Duterte is a very reasonable man and he acknowledges those who perform their job well as public servants. “Pero alam n’yo si Pangulo, very flexible ‘yan na tao. Kilala ko po ‘yan for 22 years at very reasonable ang taong ‘yan,” said Go.
“Ibig sabihin gawin mo lang ‘yung tama, gawin mo lang kung ano ‘yung para sa interes ng bawat Pilipino… lagi niyang sinasabi sa mga appointees n’ya: just do what is right and avoid corruption,” he added.
Go also said he would not hesitate to “talk like an opposition” when it comes to corruption issues in order to expose wrongdoings and hold the culprits accountable.
“As a legislator, parte ng mandato ko ang mag-fiscalize at siguraduhin na nasusunod o naiimplementa ang mga batas. Sa mga kasamahan ko sa gobyerno, kahit magka-alyado tayo, basta may mali, magsasalita po ako. Umabot na sa punto na sinabihan ako ng Pangulo na ‘to talk like an opposition’ kapag corruption na ang pinag-uusapan,” he said.
During his weekly Talk to the People address, Duterte said that Go should not be hesitant to call out any wrongdoing in the government.
Go agreed with what the President told him, saying that it is one of his oversight duties as a senator to ensure that public funds are accounted for and not a single centavo is wasted or stolen due to corruption.
“Dapat mapangalagaan ang tiwala ng taumbayan at siguraduhin na ang pondo ay magagamit ng tama para mabigyan ng maayos na serbisyo ang mga Pilipino, lalo na pagdating sa kalusugan,” he added.
The President also thanked the senator for his industry during the same occasion. Go, for his part, has also vowed to ensure that those involved in deep-rooted, systemic and systematic corruption will be held accountable and put in jail.
“Sa mga magnanakaw, inuulit ko, hindi natatapos ito sa pagsuspinde o pagsibak sa inyo. Sisiguraduhin namin na mananagot kayo sa batas at makukulong kayo. As long as there are people like you in government, we will not stop in our efforts to remove rotten eggs like you who are destroying public service and the public’s trust in government,” warned Go.
“Sabi ko nga noon, kung hindi lang magagalit ang human rights advocates, dapat pilayan o putulin ang daliri o kamay ng mga corrupt para matigil talaga ang kalokohan,” he continued.
Expressing his love for his countrymen, Go said that he will always put their interest first before anything else. He also vowed to speak up should he witness wrongdoings in the government.
“Mahal ko ang ating bayan, mahal ko ang ating kapwa Pilipino. Sabi ko magsasalita ako kung kinakailangan,” Go said.
“Ako naman po ay uunahin ko parati ang interes ng bayan, kung ano po ‘yung makakasira ay sasabihin ko kay Pangulo. Diretso, ibubulong ko sa kanya o even publicly pwede ko pong sabihin kung ano ‘yung makakasira sa kanyang administrasyon. At kung ano naman po ang makakabuti ay handa po akong tumulong,” he added.
In his previous statements, Go said that the fight against corruption must continue as he described systemic corruption like a sickness that must be cured in order to protect the integrity of government institutions and provide the public the kind of service they deserve.
“Ang walang katapusang korapsyon ay para ring pandemya. Kailangan talaga magkaroon ng bakuna o gamot na tatalab para matanggal ang sakit na sumisira sa integridad ng gobyerno at sa kalidad ng serbisyo na dapat natatanggap ng mga Pilipino,” Go explained.
