SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has warned the public against scammers who use his name, and that of President Duterte, to buy and sell medical supplies amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a news statement posted on his Facebook page, Go said he was made aware of certain groups who use their names to trade in medical supplies.
“Scam at walang katapusang fake news po iyan. Hindi po bumibili ang opisina ko ng anumang medical supplies. Hindi ko trabaho iyan [That is a scam and endless fake news. My office does not buy nor sell medical supplies. That is not my job as a legislator],” he said.
Go said there are concerned government agencies mandated to procure medical supplies.
“Kung marami po kayong supply ng masks, i-donate niyo nalang sa mga nangangailangan nang walang bayad kaysa magpaloko po kayo sa mga nangsasamantala at ginagamit pa ang pangalan namin sa kalokohan nila [If you have an abundant supply of face masks, just donate them for free to those who needed them instead of being scammed by opportunists who even use our names in their fraudulent schemes],” Go said.
The administration lawmaker said he and President Duterte will not allow these unscrupulous individuals to profit from the Covid-19 crisis using their names.
“Sa mga nangsasamantala lalo na sa panahon ng krisis, huwag kayo mag-alala. Aabutan rin kayo ng hustisya [To those who commit abuses, especially in times of crisis, don’t worry. Justice will eventually catch up with you],” Go said.
Because of this, Go urged the National Bureau of Investigation to “investigate, initiate filing of cases, and arrest corrupt officials and private individuals who are taking advantage of Covid-19 situation to make money”.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, is also ready to investigate any anomaly connected with the purchase, or sale, of medical supplies and equipment by abusive officials or entrepreneurs.
In the meantime, he reminded private individuals not to exploit the Covid-19 crisis to make money at the expense of fellow Filipinos who are already suffering enough from the situation.
He also reminded the public to stay vigilant in order not to get duped by any of these scams.
“Huwag po tayo magpaloko. Kung walang magpapaloko, hindi mananaig ang mga manloloko [Let’s not get fooled. Crooks won’t succeed if nobody gets fooled],” Go said.
At the end of his statement, Go emphasized that scams and abusive business practices should not be allowed most particularly in times of crises.
Image credits: AP/Bullit Marquez
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