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Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Friday said the policy of the administration to automatically disqualify entities and individuals who seek preferential treatment in their transactions with government by leveraging supposed links to President Rodrigo Duterte has not changed.

“Kung gusto ninyo mag-negosyo, mag-transaksyon kayo ng malinis. Kahit kaibigan ka ni President Duterte, palagi niyang sinasabi kung alin lang po ang tama, kung alin lang po ang naayon sa batas. Palagi nang sinasabi ni Pangulo noon, ‘pag ginamit ang pangalan niya, ginamit ang pangalan ng pamilya niya (If you want to do business, do transactions according to the rules and act according to the law. When someone uses his name, or his family’s name), consider it denied,” Go said during the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Bong Go has worked with Duterte until before he ran for the Senate in 2019.

President Duterte repeatedly tells investors if they do what is right, they are welcome to transact with the government, Go added.

The Senate is conducting its sixth hearing into the 2020 Commission on Audit (COA) report and other issues related to the government budget on coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response.

Go also said the President had known businessman and former presidential adviser Michael Yang, who had been warned against engaging in illegal activities, as early as 1999.

“Nagkataon po na kilala sya ni President Duterte nung 1999, 2001. ‘Di ko pa po kilala yan kaya naging kilala ko na rin po dahil kay President Duterte. Hindi ibig sabihin kakilala o naging kaibigan ni President Duterte ay kukunsintihin na po namin. Ako mismo witness ako at narinig ko sinabi mismo ni Presidente kay Michael Yang, ‘pag gumawa ka ng kalokohan, gumawa ka ng illegal, pumasok ka sa droga, ililibing kita dito sa (I met him through the President who knew him since 1999. It does not mean we would condone any wrongdoing. I personally heard the president tell Yang that if he engages in shenanigans and illegalities or drugs, I will bury you here in) Davao,” Go said.

Go also asked COA Chair Michael Aguinaldo to clarify the context of their findings on the transactions involving the Department of Health (DOH) and the Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).

Aguinaldo reiterated there were no findings of corruption on the part of the DOH.

He said there were just deficiencies in terms of documentation covering DOH funds while PS –DBM had inventory management issues, not overpricing.

“(T)ungkol po sa DOH, naglabas po kami ng (we came out with a) statement saying wala naman po sa (there was no mention in the) findings that there was any money lost to corruption. Wala pong sinasabing ganun ‘yung (There was nothing like that in the) report. As noted, ‘yung sinabi po sa (what was stated in the) report, among other deficiencies dun sa (in the) PHP6 to PHP7 billion, in terms of documentation, in terms of fund transfers, and the like,” Aguinaldo said.

“But, as of the audit report, wala pong (there were no) findings on overpriced, going back to your original question Sir, Mr. Chairman,” the COA chair told Go further.

The COA reports covered the fiscal year January to December 30, 2020 and were released June to July this year.

Aguinaldo added the DOH has since submitted an action plan to address the documentary requirements.

He reiterated COA’s mandate to settle accounts and that any findings of corruption are referred to the appropriate office, such as the Office of the Ombudsman.

Go also echoed the President’s position for the Senate to file the appropriate cases against those involved and that he will step down once he is linked to any corrupt deals.