Bong Go

Bong Go
Go in 2018
Special Assistant to
the President of the Philippines
Assumed office
June 30, 2016
President Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by Julia Abad
Personal details
Born Christopher Lawrence Tesoro Go
(1974-06-14) June 14, 1974
Davao City, Philippines
Political party PDP-Laban
Alma mater De La Salle University
Basketball career
No. 18 – Muntinlupa Cagers
Position Guard
League Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League
Personal information
Listed height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Career history
2018– Muntinlupa Cagers

Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go (Tagalog: [go] ; born June 14, 1974) is the current Special Assistant to the President, with the rank of Secretary, with supervision over the Presidential Management Staff in the Philippines. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.[1][2] He is an executive assistant and personal aide of Duterte since 1998.

Early life and education

Go was born on June 14, 1974. He is a grandson of August Tesoro, whose father founded one of the largest printing press in Davao City. Go attended De La Salle University and graduated with a Management degree.[3]

Career

As an aide of Duterte

Prior to Duterte's presidency

Since 1998, Go has been an executive assistant and personal aide of then-Mayor of Davao City Rodrigo Duterte. Being in charge of both personal and official matters, he calls himself as an all around 'utility man' of Duterte.[4]

During the 2016 election campaign season, Go was often described as the "national photobomber" by the media, for being always in the photos at the side of Duterte in his campaign sorties.[5] He is one of the key people in Duterte's campaign for presidency. On October 15, 2015, Go, wearing a shirt which says No is No, filed Duterte's certificate of candidacy (COC) on Duterte's behalf at the Comelec office in Manila, for a re-election bid for the Davao City mayoralty post.[6] According to him, he called Aquilino Pimentel III, the president of Duterte's political party, PDP-Laban, to file his candidacy for president, that can help Duterte for possible substitution and provide hope for his fans. According to Pimentel, it had been decided that Martin Diño, the chairman of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), would file his candidacy as Pimentel was about to board a plane to Switzerland at that time.[7]

Go served as a campaign sortie manager of Duterte.[8]

As Special Assistant to the President (SAP)

Then President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on June 2, 2018 announced the appointment of Christopher Go as the Special Assistant to the President and is tasked to provide general supervision to the Presidential Management Staff.[9]

Basketball career

Bong Go has guested in basketball events in the country. In the 2018 PBA All-Star Week, Go participated in the three-point shoot out competition. He, along with Senators Sonny Angara and Joel Villanueva featured in an three-point shoot out exhibition during the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup which was hosted in Bocaue. It was then announced that Go will join the Muntinlupa Cagers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. This move was objected by critics who says Go is using the MPBL as a platform for a bid to get elected Senator in 2019. Go defended the move saying he just wanted to promote basketball in the country and acknowledged his old age and the superior height of his opponents.[10][11]

Criticisms and Controversies

Involvement in the Php 16 Billion Frigate Deal

Bong Go had been alleged to be liable for graft in the procurement of Philippine Navy Frigates. Rappler had obtained pertinent documents that linked Bong Go to the deal, detailing how he had interfered with the process, violating several procurement laws when he endorsed a supplier outside the bidding process. [12] Bong Go denied the allegations and declared that he would resign if ever he was proven guilty of such crime. Bong Go also claims that his critics are endangering national security when they interrupted Go's involvement in the frigate deal. However, the various media and news websites that published Bong Go's non-involvement in the Frigate deal are also known as "fake news" publishers. [13] However, Vice Admiral Mercado, who was sacked for questioning the frigate deal, "cleared" Bong Go, claiming that Go had never communicated with those who are involved in the deal, despite documentary evidence and even acknowledgement of the defense secretary of his post-it notes. [14] Duterte defends his assistant, saying "Bong Go owns a yacht, therefore he doesn't need to steal in the frigate deal".[15] Malacanang also made clear their stance that Bong Go did not intervene.[16] During the Senate Probe however, Bong Go's involvement wasn't delved into, and many questions digging deeper into Bong Go's role and actual extent of involvement in Malacanang's affairs were still left unanswered. [17][18][19]

Premature Campaigning and Violation of Ethics Code

Suspicion of Bong Go's electoral aspirations first surfaces when he started constantly appearing in government programs that he has no business of being in, claiming that he represent Duterte. Various news outlets and even the COMELEC calls Bong Go's activities as premature campaigning, but citing a 2009 Supreme Court decision, they stated that there was nothing wrong with it. [20][21][22] Bong Go denies that he's electioneering, despite the hundreds of thousands of campaign materials such as shirts, basketball equipment, billboard advertisements and cellular phones with his name and face printed on them, along with "cash gifts" to bribe voters.[23] Bong Go also already have a campaign jingle clearly made for his senatorial run.[24] Go claims that they are only "souvenirs" he gives away to the people he's visiting in.[25] Bong Go's electioneering has caused the public to question how Bong Go had been using his position as a public servant for his personal agenda, violating the Ethics Code.[26] The general public wants the billboards of Bong Go flooding the highways in the country removed.[27] Not to be deterred by criticism, Bong Go took advantage of disaster relief operations to promote his his political agenda, much to the consternation of neutral political pundits.

Personal life

Bong Go is known for his self-portraits or selfies he posts online. He values these images as part of his personal collection. He came to wider public attention during the APEC Summit where Bong Go posted photos of himself with various world leaders attending the meeting.[28] His selfies inspired an internet meme with people superimposing his face on photos suggesting he had met a certain person or witnessed an event mostly for comical purposes.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "Bong Go to head Palace management staff, Andanar to head PCOO". GMA News. June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Duterte appoints closest aide, broadcaster to Palace posts". Philippine Star. June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  3. ↑ "A photobomber in Duterte campaign". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 8, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Bong Go, executive assistant ni Duterte mula pa noong 1998". GMA News. May 12, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Who's who in Duterte's inner circle". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 9, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  6. ↑ Rodrigo Duterte to seek re-election as Davao City mayor – CNN Philippines.
  7. ↑ "The man they call Bong Go - Rappler". Rappler. May 27, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  8. ↑ "A peek into Rodrigo Duterte's campaign team". Rappler. February 19, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  9. ↑ Diola, Camille (3 June 2016). "Duterte appoints closest aide, broadcaster to Palace posts". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  10. ↑ The Wires (6 June 2018). "SAP Bong Go to play for Muntinlupa in MPBL opener against Mandaluyong". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  11. ↑ "Bong Go defends move to play in MPBL, says it's all for the promotion of basketball in the country". Hoops PH. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "TIMELINE | What we need to know: Bong Go and the P16-B Navy frigate deal". Interaksyon. 2018-02-19. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  13. ↑ "Bong Go: Frigate deal controversy endangering national security". cnn. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  14. ↑ "Sacked Navy official speaks up: 'I am still hurting'". cnn. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  15. ↑ "Duterte: Bong Go a 'yacht-owner,' need not steal in frigate deal | Philstar.com". philstar.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  16. ↑ News, Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN. "Palace: 'Very clear' Bong Go did not intervene in frigate deal". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  17. ↑ "Senate probe exposes root of frigates deal mess". Rappler. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  18. ↑ "5 nagging questions after the Senate frigates probe". Rappler. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  19. ↑ Robles, Raissa. "Christopher "Bong" Go is a billionaire, says Duterte". www.raissarobles.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  20. ↑ "Comelec on premature campaigning: Kadiri siya pero hindi illegal". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  21. ↑ "Nothing illegal with premature campaigning — Supreme Court | Philstar.com". philstar.com. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  22. ↑ "Comelec warns vs 'premature campaigning'". Manila Standard. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  23. ↑ "Bong Go tarps, relief goods, cellphones: President's aide has a disclaimer". Interaksyon. 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  24. ↑ Matriano, Kate. "WATCH: Ex Battalion sings campaign jingle for Bong Go". Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  25. ↑ News, Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN. "'Bong Go' phones as gov't souvenirs? Duterte aide explains". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  26. ↑ "Do Bong Go's donations, billboards violate government ethics code?". Rappler. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  27. ↑ Reysio-Cruz, Matthew. "Netizens want Go's posters gone". Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  28. ↑ Nawal, Allan. "Bong Go: From national photobomber to king of selfies". Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  29. ↑ "'Pambansang Photobomber' Bong Go becomes hilarious photo meme". Rappler. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
Political offices
Preceded by
Julia Abad		 The Head of the Presidential Management Staff
2016–present		 Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Hermogenes Esperon
as National Security Adviser		 Order of Precedence of the Philippines
as The Head of the Presidential Management Staff		 Succeeded by
Harry Roque
as Presidential Spokesperson
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