Noting his past actions of fabricating black propaganda against his opponents, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, on July 3, warned Filipinos against former senator Antonio Trillanes IV ‘dirty tactics’ during an interview right after the launch of 125th Malasakit Center in the country at the Siargao Island Medical Center in Dapa, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.

“Alam nyo po, si Trillanes po ang totoong Bikoy… napatunayan naman natin na papunta na po sa eleksyon, lilitaw na itong si Trillanes at pipinturahan niya ng dumi… pipinturahan niya kami ng itim para po siya magmukhang puti at magmukhang malinis,” Go said.

“Pero hubaran nyo po… ang kaniyang kaluluwa, doon nyo po makikita iyong dumi ng isang Sonny Boy alyas Bikoy Trillanes. Siya po yun, so ano pa ba ang bago? Pag lumitaw si Trillanes tuwing eleksyon, iyan na po, iyan ay paninira lamang,” he added.

The Senator was referring to the Bikoy videos tying the President and his family to drug syndicates. Trillanes and eleven others were charged with conspiracy to commit sedition in connection with the videos by the Department of Justice. On February 18 last year, Trillanes posted bail in relation to the case.

“Wala na pong bago diyan — paninira, imbento at wala na po siyang ibang masabi kundi puro po fabricated. Eh sa totoo lang po, magtanong na lang kayo kung sino iyong totoong korap, noon pa hanggang ngayon, hayaan na po natin ang Pilipino na humusga,” Go said.

The Senator said that Trillanes’ smear campaign against him during the 2019 polls had only backfired which resulted in Go getting elected as senator.

“Anong nangyari sa paninira mo? Kita mo naging Senador pa nga ako. Baka sa susunod mong paninira, hindi ko alam anong susunod na naman… Ginawa mo akong Senador noon sa paninira mo,” he said.

Go further noted that Filipinos are already aware of Trillanes’ tactics. “Hayaan na natin ang Pilipinong humusga kung sinong nagsasabi ng totoo. Alam ng Pilipino, malinis po ang saloobin (namin ni Pangulong Duterte) at alam ng Pilipino kung sinong maduming budhi,” he said.

Go, then, reassured Filipinos of his and Duterte’s commitment to fight corruption in the government and cited some of the initiatives he is part of to address the problem.

“Alam naman ni Trillanes na hindi kami titigil ni Pangulong Duterte hanggang sa huling araw ng aming termino ay lalabanan namin ang korapsyon sa gobyerno. Ako po, five years na ako nasa (national) gobyerno diyan sa Maynila, di po kami pumapasok sa korapsyon. Kung meron pong makakapagpatunay niyan ay aalis ho kami sa gobyerno,” Go challenged.

“Serbisyo lang po kami sa taumbayan. Wala kaming ibang ginagawa kundi magserbisyo lang sa aming kapwa Pilipino. Interes at hangarin ng bawat Pilipino ang nasa isipan po namin parati,” he emphasized.

Go also urged Filipinos to come forward if they have any knowledge of anomalies in government in order to help in the efforts to eradicate corruption.

“Magtulungan po tayo, kung meron kayong sumbong o impormasyon about corruption, halos araw-araw, sibak dito, sibak doon, suspendido dito, suspendido doon, dismiss dito, dismiss doon. Iyan po ang ginagawa ni Pangulong Duterte pag napatunayan na sangkot ka sa katiwalian, sa korapsyon,” he shared.

“Huwag naman po iyong imbento, huwag naman po iyong haka-haka o fishing expedition,” he clarified while adding, “magtiwala po kayo kay Pangulong Duterte, isumbong nyo po sa amin. Eh kung di nyo po isusumbong, di nyo po kami tinutulungan, paano po natin susugpuin ang korapsyon.”

Together with the PACC and other partners in the civil society, Go, who was then Special Assistant to the President, formed the Truth and Justice Coalition to provide an avenue for ordinary citizens to report instances of anomalies in government transactions.

“Kaisa po tayo at kasama po tayo na labanan ang korapsyon sa gobyerno. And, in fact, kasama po ako sa bumuo ng Truth and Justice Coalition. Inisyatibo po namin iyon ni Chairman Greco Belgica ng PACC. It’s a citizen’s coalition to help the government fight corruption. So, kasama po kami doon at matagal na po naming nilalabanan ang korapsyon sa gobyerno,” he shared.

Go further questioned Trillanes’ motives and asked: “Bakit sa susunod pa na linggo? Bakit hindi ngayon? Kasi naghahanap na naman siya ng Bikoy part 2. Gagawa na naman iyan ng imbento hanggang papunta ng eleksyon. Gagawa yan ng panibagong imbensyon… Eto fabricated, babayaran niya po yung video… puro po iyan paninira, puro imbento.”

Meanwhile, when asked if he supports Duterte running for vice president in the 2022 elections, Go said that it is up to the President to decide but he will always support him.

“Ako naman po, bilang kasamahan ni Pangulong Duterte, kung kakayahan, overqualified po siya maging vice president. Naabot na po niya ang pagiging presidente at napatunayan natin ang kanyang hangarin po, ang interes ng bawat Pilipino,” Go mentioned.

“Nanilbihan po siya ng Pangulo sa inyo for five years ng buong katapatan. Serbisyo niya po sa inyo walang kapaguran. Nagsasakripisyo para sa inyo, para po sa kinabukasan ng ating mga anak. So, kung tatakbo ho siyang bilang vice president, suportado ko po siya,” he added.

Go added that if Duterte runs, it will mean he still has business he intends to finish especially when it comes to fighting criminality, corruption, and illegal drugs in the country, as well as in leading the country towards pandemic recovery.