The Palace on Tuesday expressed doubt that former presidential top aide and now senatorial candidate Christopher Go committed an election-related violation by distributing cash to fire victims, urging those accusing him of vote-buying to file charges instead.
This was after two election watchdogs, Kontra Daya and NAMFREL, claimed that Go might have committed vote-buying for giving cash to fire victims last week.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said he was not convinced that Go had indeed violated election regulations for giving cash donations to the survivors of fire incidents in Makati and Manila.
“Why don’t they file if that is what they believe in? It seems the situation with Bong Go was different, Panelo told reporters.
“[First], these are donations and they are fire victims. Second, I read also that it was not even him who gave the so-called cash donation.”
Panelo said the Palace does not defend Go’s distribution of cash to fire victims. He said mere cash assistance could not be construed as inducing voters to vote for him.
“The operative word is inducement. If the intention is to induce, then you will be violating the provision but the problem is how will you prove inducement especially in this particular case where they are fire victims? It would be different if you give for no reason,” Panelo said.
“The problem with that is it’s the same with the violation for streamers. You don’t know exactly who gave the donations there. If your enemies did that, that’s a problem.”
Panelo said the former Cabinet member was “responsible” enough not to commit violations.
“Knowing Bong Go, I’ve been hearing him, every time I see him, he keeps on saying, ‘Sir, they are always saying this and that. I don’t even know. That’s why he said, ‘I have already made an announcement that I will not be receiving any help from any of you anymore because my name is being dragged unnecessarily, Panelo said.
“That’s why knowing that man, I don’t think he will allow that to happen. But anyway, if they feel that he has violated, then file [charges] to really know what happened. We’ll let the Comelec decide.”
On Monday, Pulse Asia reported that Go had risen to the third to fifth spot in voter preferences.
Panelo then attributed Go’s good performance to his close ties with Duterte, mentioning his constant appearance in the President’s public engagements.
“Print media, television, you always see him. When you see the President, he’s there, whether he’s behind him, talking to him So, the awareness is very high, Panelo said.
