SENATOR Richard "Dick" Gordon was asked to inhibit as chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee while probe on the handling of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) funds is ongoing due to possible conflict of interest.
Senator Christopher "Bong" Go made the plea after it was known that one of the agencies being investigated has entered into financial transactions with Philippine Red Cross (PRC), which is also being chaired by Gordon.
Go was referring to the multi-million-peso agreement of PRC with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) that required an advance payment of P100 million, which may possibly be in conflict with auditing rules and regulations.
In a privilege speech delivered at the Senate session on Tuesday, August 31, Go stated that the “Filipino people deserve fairness and due process from a committee that is held in high regard and plays a major role in the government’s anti-corruption drive."
“Hindi ba may conflict of interest na isa sa iniimbestigahan mo ay ka-transaksyon ng organisasyong pinamumunuan mo? In the spirit of fairness and impartiality, shouldn’t the Blue Ribbon Committee chair inhibit himself from further hearing all matters involving PhilHealth? Make no mistake, I will not present any conclusions here without due process and fairness. Tinuturuan ako ng tama at kailanman ay magiging patas ako. Sana naman maging patas rin kayo,” Go said.
(Isn't there a conflict of interest that one of the people you are investigating has a transaction with the organization you lead? In the spirit of fairness and impartiality, shouldn’t the Blue Ribbon Committee chair inhibit himself from further hearing all matters involving PhilHealth? Make no mistake, I will not present any conclusions here without due process and fairness. I was taught right and I will always be fair. I hope you will be fair as well.)
Go also said he respects Gordon as committee chair but noted that the latter has shown unequal treatment of his colleagues.
He asked Gordon to exercise fairness and respect due process for the truth to come out for the benefit of the Filipino public.
“Sabi niya pa naman, patas siya. Patas nga ba? Sabi niya, lahat pwede magsalita sa hearing niya, totoo nga ba? Sabi niya, the truth must come out, pero bakit parang iba ata pinapalabas niya? Prangkahan lang. Doon lang tayo sa totoo. Hayaan nalang natin ang publiko ang humusga, anyway napanood niyo naman po,” said Go.
(He said again, he was fair. Is that fair? He said everyone can speak at his hearing, is that true? He said, the truth must come out, but why does he seem to be playing something else? Let’s be frank. Let’s stick to the truth. Let's just let the public judge, you watched it anyway.)
“Malaki ang respeto ko sa inyo noon pa. Palagi akong nagpapakumbaba sa inyo, kaya siguro ang trato mo sa akin hindi kapwa senador. Kahit sa mga hearings, ang trato mo sa akin parang resource person lang na pwede mong barahin habang nagsasalita. Other senators were accorded the privilege to have an opening statement in the hearings. Bakit ako kailangan mag-stick sa topic na gusto mo?” he said before adding that Gordon also unfairly scolded him for PhilHealth’s alleged delayed payments to the PRC.
(I have a lot of respect for you before. I’m always humble to you, so maybe you treat me differently as a senator. Even at hearings, you treat me like a resource person that you can contradict while speaking. Other senators were accorded the privilege to have an opening statement in the hearings. Why do I have to stick to the topic you like?)
“Pati ako nadadamay tinatawagan mo, bakit hindi nababayaran? Ako, kasamahan mo sa gobyerno, papagalitan mo kami, ano namang kinalaman ko? Tulay lang ako sa Executive para mapabilis ang lahat ng proseso,” Go said.
(I also feel like you are asking me, why was it not paid? I, your colleague in the government, you will scold us, what have I got to do with it? I am just a bridge to the Executive branch to speed up the whole process.)
He also said that he is already being careful with his words because he respects the institution and his colleagues but also pointed out that he, too, represents the Filipino people to whom he owes the privilege to serve and speak in this chamber.
He added that he always abides by President Rodrigo Duterte’s instructions to speak out on any wrongdoing and expressed disappointment at the proceedings for failing to be impartial in probing the allegations of anomalies in the use of Covid-19 funds.
“Mapapaisip ka talaga dahil sa hearing sila na ang nagtatanong, sila ang nag-iimbestiga, sila rin ang sumasagot, sila na rin ang huhusga at gagawa ng konklusyon. I know this is not a judicial court but it does not take a lawyer to figure out that you cannot be the judge, jury, and executioner all at the same time,” said Go.
(You will really think because during the hearing they are the ones asking, they are the ones investigating, they are also the ones answering, they are also the ones who will judge and draw conclusions. I know this is not a judicial court but it does not take a lawyer to figure out that you cannot be the judge, jury, and executioner all at the same time.)
He also alleged that colleagues who are running the probe "already seem to have a narrative or position in mind."
“Kapag pinagsalita ninyo at hindi nakalinya sa gusto ninyo, nagagalit at naiinis kayo. It seems like some already had an answer in their minds and if they did not get what they want to hear, they will say the resource person is evasive.”
(When you talk and are not in line with what you want, you get angry and resentful. It seems like some already had an answer in their minds and if they did not get what they want to hear, they will say the resource person is evasive.)
Still, Go stressed his commitment to support the fight against corruption, as demonstrated by his participation in several inquiries, including those on the alleged corruption in PhilHealth and the Bureau of Corrections.
He called on those who boast about their accomplishments, saying that everyone plays “a part in pursuing a clean government regardless of which branch of government we are in or what position we hold.”
“Nagkaisa tayo diyan na labanan natin ang kalokohan at katiwalian sa gobyerno at pagkakamali (We are united there that we will fight government nonsense and corruption and mistakes), but out of fairness, I am giving credit where credit is due. But let us not brag about it as if the Filipino people owe us anything,” added Go.
Go vowed to resign should he be found guilty of any wrongdoing. He insisted that he stands by his name and reputation as a public servant from Davao City.
“Ito lang ang puhunan namin, pangalan at prinsipyo. Mga taga-Davao lang kami at mahal namin ang aming pagseserbisyo sa aming kapwa Pilipino.”
(This is just our investment, name and principle. We are just from Davao and we love our service to our fellow Filipinos.)
Meanwhile, Go also defended Duterte against those questioning his choice of appointees.
“It is the President’s prerogative who to appoint in his office and in his administration. Kung gusto mong makialam sa appointments, maging Pangulo ka po (If you want to interfere in appointments, be the President),” said Go.
"Why question the appointing authority when his right to do so was given to him by the Constitution? If you have reservations on the qualifications of people in the government, question it before the proper courts. Or if you want to change the qualifications, pass a law to favor what you want," he added.
While merit is important in appointing officials, Go said that trust is equally considered by the appointing authority.
He added that just because some appointees of the President are from Davao should not be an issue because he has the authority to install people he thinks are capable to lead these offices.