Special presidential assistant Go denies hand in Navy's weapons system procurement plan
Special Assistant to the President Secretary Christopher "Bong" Go denied on Tuesday he meddled in the controversial selection of the Philippine Navy's weapons system for P15.7 billion frigate program.
In a text message to reporters, Go pointed to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana as the person who should clarify the matter.
"I have not intervened in the procurement of DND (Department of National Defense) of its computer system for its ships. I have not participated nor intervened, directly or indirectly, in the transactions of DND," he said.
"Further, I even have no information nor knowledge of the said transaction," he added.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that in a span of two weeks in January 2017, Malacanang, the DND, and the Navy discussed the issue hounding the combat management systems (CMS) of the Navy’s frigate program.
It said there was a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte from the Navy explaining why it preferred Tacticos CMS of Thales Nederlands, Inc. over Hanwha Thales (HTC) for the CMS of the frigates.
Lorenzana, putting a marginal note on the letter that it was given to him by Go, then asked former Navy flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Ronald Joseph Mercado to go over it and prepare a report or rebuttal to be submitted to Duterte.
Mercado was removed as FOIC last December allegedly in relation to the Navy's weapons system procurement plan.
"Clarification on the issues should be addressed to SND Lorenzana," Go said. Celerina Monte/DMS
