President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday teased his longtime trusted aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go of eyeing the presidency this early, citing the neophyte lawmaker’s frequent visit to fire victims.
“Do not nurture a personal loyalty to me. I don’t need it and I cannot run anymore. So I don’t give a [care anymore]. It’s up to you. Except Bong Go. Maybe he wants to be president,” the President said in a speech at the Palace that was also attended by the senator.
“In every fire, he was there. Bong, you’re too obvious,” President Duterte said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Duterte even ribbed Go for arriving ahead of firefighters, saying some might misconstrue this as a case of Go starting the fire.
“It’s pretty obvious. You’re ahead of the [firefighters]. You’re already there even there’s no fire yet. Maybe you are igniting it? You arrive way before firefighters. Don’t do it too much or they might notice it,” the President said.
Despite his election to the Senate, Go appeared to be still performing duties related to his old position—that of special adviser to the President—as he can always be seen next to Duterte.
Go recently drew flak from social media users for announcing the Chief Executive’s policies, such as the imposition of a travel ban amid the nCoV scare—a function that is well within the job description of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo.
But the senator quickly doused speculations that he is preparing for a higher national post in 2022.
“I have no plans of running for President. I do not aspire for that. I am just happy that I was given a chance to serve my fellow Filipinos,” Go said in a statement released immediately after the President’s speech.
“I do not want to talk politics yet. I want to prioritize serving my countrymen. But if you ask me about the 2022 elections, I am willing to volunteer as campaign manager of whoever will be chosen to continue the reforms started by President Duterte,” he added.