Alvarez: Bong Go should run for senator

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez wants presidential aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go to run for senator under the administration PDP-Laban ticket.

“I’d like to convince Bong Go to be in our ticket. Do you know him? He’s the one who is always with President Duterte, always taking selfie, the selfie king,” Alvarez told new party recruits in Negros Oriental on Thursday.

He said he wants Go to be in the ruling party’s senatorial slate so there would be more candidates from Mindanao. Go is from Davao City.

Alvarez also mentioned Reps. Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental, Karlo Nograles of Davao City, Reynaldo Umali of Mindoro Oriental, Sajib Mangudadatu of Maguindanao, Geraldine Roman of Bataan, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and presidential communications assistant secretary Mocha Uson as potential PDP-Laban candidates.

He said the current Senate is a “slow chamber” and has been sitting on measures approved by the House of Representatives.

Go is expected to attend next week’s Senate inquiry into alleged irregularities involving the procurement of two frigates worth P15.5 billion for the Navy.

He has been accused of supposedly favoring a South Korean firm for the frigates’ combat systems. He has denied the accusation.

The President has encouraged Go to attend the Senate hearing, saying his attendance and the media mileage he would receive could be his sure ticket to the Senate.

Rep. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela said Go’s supposed meddling in the acquisition of weapons systems for Navy frigates is ”fake news.”

Albano said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and former Navy chief Ronald Joseph Mercado have cleared Go of any irregularity.