After issues were raised by some senators regarding the qualifications of appointed officials in the Duterte administration, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Wednesday September 1 emphasized that it is the prerogative of President Duterte being the appointing authority as provided by law.
In a privilege speech on Tuesday, August 31, Go cited President Duterte who, during his Talk to the People address on Tuesday morning, said that he has the authority to appoint individuals he trusts in government positions.
“It is the President’s prerogative who to appoint in his office and in his administration. Kung gusto mong makialam sa appointments, maging Pangulo ka po (If you want to interfere in the appointments, get yourself elected first as President),” Go said.
“Why question the appointing authority when his right to do so was given to him by the Constitution? If you have reservations on the qualifications of people in the government, question it before the proper courts. Or if you want to change the qualifications, pass a law to favor what you want,” he added.
While merit is important in appointing officials, Go said that trust is equally considered by the appointing authority.
He went on to say that just because some appointees of the President are from Davao should not be an issue because he has the authority to install people he thinks are capable to lead these offices.
“Bakit issue na ngayon na puro taga-Davao ang naa-appoint? (Appointing people from Davao is now an issue, why?) Ano pong masama doon kung sila ang pinagkakatiwalaan ng Pangulo? (What’s wrong with it if they are the people that the President trusts?) Ano tingin nyo sa Pangulo, hindi marunong kumilatis? (What do you think of the President, he doesn’t know how to assess people?) Personal choice niya po ‘yan. Hindi porke’t abogado niya, eh tao ko na. Abogado niya po 'yan noon pa. (That is his personal choice. It doesn’t mean if he is his lawyer, he is already his man. He was his lawyer for a long time already),” he pointed out.
“Huwag kayong magmalinis. Sa mga opisina ninyo, wala ba kayong katrabaho na kamag-anak, ka-fraternity, ka-probinsya, o kaibigan? Sabi ko nga, doon lang po sana tayo sa totoo. Maging patas po tayo (Do not pretend to be clean. In your offices, have you not appointed your relatives, fraternity brothers, province mate, or friends? As I have said, let us be truthful. Be fair),” he added.
Coming from the province, Go believes that appointing other probinsyanos to serve in government is a non-issue as long as they do the right thing and avoid corruption.
“Kami po ni Pangulong Duterte ay mga probinsyano na nagtratrabaho ng matino, tumutulong sa mga Pilipino at nagsusumikap na maibangon sa krisis ang ating bansa (I and President Duterte are both from the province who are faithfully doing our jobs, helping the Filipinos and doing our best to overcome the crisis in the country
‘’ Ano po ang masama kung kumuha siya ng mga probinsiyano para tulungan siyang magserbisyo sa bayan? (What is wrong if he gets people from the province to help him serve the nation?),” he asked.
“Ang pangunahing bilin nga ng Pangulo sa kanyang mga ina-appoint: 'Just do what is right and avoid corruption.' Wala sa usapan ang korapsyon. Kasi kung gusto mo talagang tumulong sa administrasyon, gagawin mo kung ano ang tama (The foremost advice of the President to his appointees: ‘Just do what is right and avoid corruption.’ I do not tolerate corruption. If you really want to help the administration, you have to do it right),” he added.
The senator from Davao went on to say that he and President Duterte are working together with other co-equal branches in order to eradicate corruption in the Philippines despite the reality that it is difficult to fully accomplish such goal.
“And if you believe that people have committed crimes and should be punished, then file the necessary cases or give our prosecutors sufficient evidence to ensure that these people are indeed punished. Patunayan natin kay Pangulong Duterte at lalo na sa mga kababayan natin na may kahihinatnan ang mga hearing na ito (Let’s prove it to President Duterte and especially to our countrymen that these hearings will end up with results),” he said.
Go also reiterated that he, as former Special Assistant to the President, did not decide on appointments of key officials in the executive branch particularly of former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao.
Go also clarified that Lao was never his aide and that he did not directly report to him. He explained further that his office as SAP from 2016 to 2018 only had supervisory powers over the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) where Lao belonged then, as well as other select offices in the OP, and they do not report directly to him nor do they function as his ‘aide’.
That said, Go emphasized that anyone found to be complicit in corruption would be prosecuted in accordance with the law under the administration's anti-corruption policy with utmost fairness and respect for due process.
Go then emphasized that while he supports the Upper Chamber's collective goal to find out the truth, he also urged his colleagues to listen and review all the facts before making any conclusion or judgment.
“But if we do not know how to listen or, worse, if we already have a conclusion even before getting all the facts, then we have failed in providing the people true and accurate information. Aren’t we all for the truth?” he said.
“Sinusubaybayan po ng Pangulo ang lahat (The President is monitoring everything). Pinapanood po niya, binabantayan po niya (He is watching it) Ipinagtatanggol ko po ang ating trabaho (I am defending our job). I am with you, sa lahat po ng colleagues ko rito para malaman po ang katotohanan. Pagtulungan po natin, alamin natin ang katotohanan at kasuhan ang may kasalanan. (I am with you, to all my colleagues here so we will know the truth. Let us help one another, let us uncover the truth and file charges against those who have committed mistakes),” he added.
He criticized the manner in which the investigations are conducted, calling them “bullying.”
“Alam ninyo po, magkasama tayo, lalong-lalo na po sa laban sa korapsyon sa gobyerno, sana naman po sa tamang paraan. Hindi po sa bullying na pamamaraan (You know, we are together in the fight against corruption in government, but this has to be done the right way. Not by bullying),” he urged.
The ongoing inquiry, according to Go, has redirected the Health Department's focus away from the COVID-19 response.
He also stated that certain health officials have grown afraid to take action as a result of the probe.
While government detractors want to discredit the government’s COVID-19 response, according to Go, he assured that there’s no “grand scheme” of corruption during the pandemic.
Go then repeated his call for his colleagues to observe fairness and due process in the ongoing investigation because it is what the Filipino people deserve.
“The Filipino people deserve fairness and due process, most especially in a committee that we hold in high regard,” he said.
“Napaka-crucial (ng role) ng Blue Ribbon dahil aminado naman tayong lahat na para umunlad ang bansa, kailangan linisin ang gobyerno (The role of the Blue Ribbon is very crucial, and all of us admit that we need to cleanse the government for the country to progress),” he added.