BENGUET caretaker Eric Go Yap vowed to resign if he is proven guilty of corruption.
Yap was tagged in the list announced by President Rodrigo Duterte during his late Monday evening, December 28, briefing, naming eight congressmen and a former member of the House of Representatives as involved in the alleged anomalies in Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects.
The former lawmaker is Representative Teddy Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao.
Yap clarified that as caretaker of Benguet and when he was appointed January 27, 2020, all public works bidding for 2020 were already finished.
"I'm not aware kung papaano nangyayari ang bidding at ni minsan sa buong buhay ko, hindi pa ako nakapasok ng bidding ng DPWH," Yap said during his online press conference.
Yap believes the issue on corruption is politically motivated.
"Nakaka siguro ba kayo na tatakbo ako bilang congressman ng Benguet para pag aksayahan nyo ako ng pagod? Hindi po ako matitinag sa mga ganitong black propaganda. Ito ay magiging inspirasyon ko para mas lalong galingan pa ang pagseserbisyo," added Yap.
Yap, meanwhile, urged Presidential Anti-Crime Commission Commissioner Greco Belgica to further conduct investigation on these alleged corruption before the names of those involved are submitted to the President.
Yap was dragged into the corruption mess after he allegedly called Belgica to verify if Engineer Lorna Ricardo, a former district engineer, has any pending cases after a friend of his asked if she can be endorsed for assignment in Benguet.
"Nung nakausap ko si Greco Belgica, tinanong ko kung may kaso ba 'to, ang sabi niya 'meron po yan Cong. kaso at isasampa na po sa Ombudsman.' Ang sabi ko ay ganun po ba, sige po, thank you.' And then pagkatapos non, wala na," the congressman said.
He, meanwhile, reiterated that he will immediately step out of the office once found guilty of wrongdoings.
"I'm ready to leave. Kahit hindi ako tanggalin ni House Speaker, once I'm proven guilty, I will resign," Yap told reporters. (SunStar Baguio)