Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence T. Go has “nothing to hide” and the public may expect him to “tell all” in Monday’s Senate probe on the controversial frigate deal.
“We look at Monday’s Senate investigation on the Philippine Navy acquisition project as a welcome opportunity for Special Assistant to the President [SAP] Christopher Go to shed light on this matter,” Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. said in a statement. “Expect Secretary Go to tell all, and as instructed by the President, he would likely demand for an open and transparent Senate inquiry to show that he—and the administration —has nothing to hide as he would squarely answer questions, in full view of the public.”
Roque said the allegations against Go were just “fake news” being linked to the current administration, noting that it was the Aquino administration that selected the supplier of two frigates, including the combat management systems (CMS).
“We reiterate that the allegations against SAP Go are untrue and unfounded. It was the Aquino administration that chose Hyundai Heavy Industries [HHI] as supplier of the two frigates, including the supply of the boat, the navigation, the communications and the combat-management systems. It was also during the previous administration that Hyundai was declared the responsive bidder and awarded the two frigates, including the CMS,” he said.
“The whole truth would finally be known. Expect that the hearing would prove that allegations against SAP Go are just fake news being linked to the current administration,” Roque added.
Aside from Go, Roque said he will be attending the hearing by the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, together with Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar and Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II.
Asked whether President Duterte would likely watch Go’s testimony, Roque said in the briefing last Thursday: “I would think so. He would be very curious as to what will happen to that hearing.”
Go, Duterte’s top aide, was dragged into the controversial deal to acquire P15.74 billion worth of frigates for the Philippine Navy because of allegations that he intervened by backing the South Korean firm as supplier.
Go has previously denied his involvement with the frigate deal and his denial was backed by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana and former Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado.
Lorenzana relieved Mercado from his post as Navy chief last December 18, citing loss of trust and confidence on the integrity and leadership of the naval officer, whom he had charged of insubordination for holding line for Thales Tacticos, which reportedly resulted in the project’s delay.
Mercado and the Navy’s technical working group members pushed for Thales Tacticos of the Netherlands as contractor for the CMS of the military’s frigate acquisition project while HHI, which bagged the contract for the delivery of two new frigates, selected Naval Shield of Hanwha Thales of South Korea as the CMS contractor.
The Senate minority bloc filed a resolution calling for the inquiry into the implementation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Act.