Former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) and now senatorial candidate Christopher ‘Bong’ Go responded on Senator Leila De Lima after the latter questioned the former’s source of campaign funds.
According to Bong Go, he’s not like De Lima who allegedly using money from illegal activities to use as campaign funds.
“Dati ko na pong nasagot ng ilang beses ang mga paratang n’yo na pawang hindi toto. Pero dahil nandiyan kayo sa loob, baka di niyo nababasa ang mga lumalabas sa balita,” Go said.
“Hindi galing sa mga dr*g lords ang perang ginagamit ko sa pagtulong, hindi katulad ng iba dyan na hindi na nga nakakatulong, nanggugulo at nakikisawsaw pa, pinoprotektahan pa ang mga kriminal. Huwag nyo akong ihalintulad sa inyo,” he added.
He also explained that he’s not the one campaigning for himself and putting the tarpaulins, but his friends and supporters who believed that he can perform well once he becomes a Senator.
“Sila po ang kumakampanya sa akin habang ako ay tumututok sa pagserbisyo sa Pangulo at sa tao nang walang hinihinging sweldo o kapalit,” Go said.
“Kung sunod man ako nang sunod, ito ay dahil sa pangako ko sa kanya, sa pamilya niya at sa lahat ng nagmamahal sa kaniya. Hindi ito kawalan sa gobyerno dahil ginagawa ko ito sa personal ko na kapasidad. Walang pera ng gobyerno na nasayang at walang dr*g money na ginamit,” he added.
Yesterday, De Lima described Go’s alleged early campaigning as a form of ‘epal politics.’
“Bong Go is everywhere, inescapable in all sizes and all forms. There has been an ongoing invasion of public spaces by his tarpaulins and expensive billboards, and on TV, radio, print, and social media, he’s ubiquitous these past months. He has well-oiled electoral machinery. But where does he get the funds?” De Lima said in her letter.
“He does all these even ways before the start of the official campaign period, taking advantage of a gap in our election laws and jurisprudence which tolerates premature campaigning,” she added.
She also questioned why Go was still appearing in the events held by the President despite being already resigned as a special assistant.
“It’s even akin to a usurpation of authority since someone else is supposed to have taken already his previous functions as SAP. But since he continues to act as Duterte’s super alalay, it is safe to presume that public funds are also expended while he is campaigning early… and still assuming the SAP role,” De Lima said.