A Philippine Air Force officer called as fake news social media memes circulating showing Senator Bong Go disrupting the emergency evacuation of wounded Air Force personnel for a personal photo opportunity.

Colonel Tony Francisco,Chief of Command Staff of the Air Mobility Command based in Mactan said the senator from Mindanao was already at the airport when the wounded soldiers landed via helicopter some 200 meters away from the aircraft Go was to use to fly back to Manila.

“Ako po si Colonel Tony Francisco, designated as the Chief of Command Staff of the Air Mobility Command, na naka base po sa BGBNEAB o mas kilala sa pangalang Mactan Air Base. I will be relating the actual facts on what happened on that particular day of April 27, 2021 at around 2:25 PM when Sen Bong Go inadvertently had a chance meeting with the survivors of the PAF helicopter that crashed in the island of Bohol in the morning of the same day,” said the officers statement.

According to Francisco, Bong Go was never a hindrance to the evacuation procedure but was instead there to encourage and give assistance to the wounded soldiers. The officer stressed that the senator simply wanted to convey to the soldiers that they can depend on the government to give them assistance.

“Tinanong ni Sen. Go ang kalagayan nung female pilot survivor at sinabihan nya na wag mag alala at tutulong sya sa kanila. Pagkatapos nya kausapin yung unang pasyente, kinausap naman nya yung pangalawang pasyente na kasalukuyang isinasakay mula sa likuran ng ambulansya. Nasa gilid lang ng ambulansya si Sen. Bong Go habang kinakausap nya yung dalawang pasyente na magkasama sa ambulansya kaya hindi nya naabala yung ginagawa ng mga medic sa pag secure doon sa pasyente na naka stretcher,” Francisco stressed.

Senator Go has been criticized for allegedly delaying the transfer of the wounded men and women for his photo op.