Trillanes: Bong Go not involved in frigate deal

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday said he does not believe special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go has anything to do with the controversial frigate deal of the Philippine Navy.

Go, who is expected to attend tomorrow’s hearing by the Senate committee on national defense and security on the status of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Act, allegedly influenced the selection of a South Korean firm to install the combat management systems (CMS) for the two frigates.

Trillanes said he personally does not think that Go has anything to do with the controversy based on his own perception of the presidential aide.

He stressed that Go is someone who takes orders and does not act on his own.

“Not because he is clean, but because he will not do anything without the order of the President himself. But if it is established that he was involved, then it is not because Bong Go had an interest in it, but rather Duterte had an interest in it,” he added.

It was the Senate minority bloc that filed a resolution calling for the inquiry into the implementation of the AFP Modernization Act.

Under Senate Resolution 584, the purchase of the two frigates was mentioned, considering that it was the first military contract signed under the Duterte administration. 

In an interview over dwIZ, Trillanes clarified that the Senate minority bloc, of which he is a member, did not ask for Go to be invited to tomorrow’s hearing.

He cited Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and the present and former military officers directly involved in the acquisition of the frigates as among the personalities they want to attend the hearing.

“What we want to find out first of all is the root cause of the controversy,” Trillanes said. 

The controversy emerged when former Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado reportedly resisted the implementation of the P16-billion project because of the findings of the Philippine Navy project management team against Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

The contract with HHI stipulates options between Hanwha Thales of Korea, a subcontractor of Hyundai, and Tacticos Thales of the Netherlands, to provide the CMS for the frigates.

Mercado allegedly wanted Tacticos Thales to take care of the CMS for the two ships because Hanwha Thales consortium was reportedly dissolved in July 2016.

HHI reportedly insisted on tapping Hanwha Systems, the subcontractor that replaced Hanwha Times.

Last Dec. 18, 2017, Mercado was relieved from his post just a few months before he was set to retire in March this year.

Mercado was relieved and placed on floating status by Lorenzana for reportedly delaying the frigate deal.

Go was implicated in the deal as he allegedly meddled in the procurement of the two frigates for the Navy.

Go has denied he was favoring the South Korean firm over another supplier. He also vowed to resign if there is evidence showing such meddling.

Duterte has defended his close aide and friend, saying Go is rich and in fact owns a yacht. 

Flag Officer in Command Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad also cleared Go of any role in the multibillion-peso frigate acquisition deal.

Empedrad said he is confident that the truth will come out once a Senate inquiry into the deal is conducted.

“100 percent there is no anomaly in the frigate acquisition,” he added.

Three congressmen have also expressed disbelief over Go’s alleged meddling.

“That’s fake news. How could he do that when he does not know anything about those things? He is not in the defense and military establishment. He has no expertise on defense and military equipment or combat systems,” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano lll said. 

“Besides, I don’t think he is out to make money in public office. As the President has declared, Bong Go was already a rich man when he entered government service,” he added.

Albano said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and former Navy chief Mercado have already cleared Go.

Rep. Karlo Nograles of Davao City and his brother Jericho, representative of party-list group Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta, said administration critics have targeted the President’s aide after their incessant criticisms have failed to bring down Duterte’s popularity and performance ratings.

“There is no smoking gun on Bong Go. Without a signature, there is no case,” the Nograleses said. – With Jess Diaz