Statement of Sen. Bong Go
I wish to clarify that contrary to claims of some personalities and news outlets, former USec. Lloyd Christopher Lao of the DBM Procurement Services was never my aide. To call him such is inaccurate.
He was a volunteer election lawyer of President Duterte in 2016 and was appointed to the Presidential Management Staff at the start of the term until early 2017. After which he was appointed to HLURB and later to the DBM in 2019 before resigning last June of this year. Lao did not directly report to me nor did he ever serve as my aide.
I already assumed my post in July 2019 as an elected Senator when Lao was designated to head the PS-DBM in August 2019.
As a legislator and member of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I support the efforts to probe how public funds were spent in our country’s COVID-19 response.
Kung kailangang busisiin pa ang mga naging procurement ng PS-DBM na saklaw ng COA initial findings, by all means, silipin natin upang lumabas ang katotohanan. Kung kailangang ipatawag si Lao sa susunod na mga pagdinig, gawin natin upang magkaroon ng kaliwanagan, once and for all.
Let me reiterate that my position against graft and corruption has been firm and consistent — President Duterte and I will never tolerate any form of it. Kahit sino ka man, kahit saan ka man nanggaling, basta may anomalyang mapatunayan ay dapat may mananagot.
(Sen. Bong Go office) – bny
