Bong Go dares Trillanes to ‘saksakan ng ballpen’
Special Assistant to the President Bong Go has slammed Senator Antonio Trillanes IV anew for not taking his "one-on-one" challenge seriously, saying that he would even dare him to a pen-stabbing match.
"Tanggapin muna ni Trillanes ang hamon ko sa kanya kesa dada siya nang dada. Ang hamon ko sa iyo, one on one, sa Tagalog, mano-mano," Go said in an ambush interview with reporters on Saturday.
"Ballpen lang pala ang gusto mo. Waiver na naman o saksakan ng ballpen. Trillanes, ito lang ba hinahanap mo, ballpen?" he added.
Last Thursday, Go said that he was ready if Trillanes wanted to go "one-on-one," after the senator continued to criticize him for being coy about his political plans.
Trillanes then countered, saying he would be willing to go "one-onone" with Go and President Rodrigo Duterte as well in signing bank secrecy waivers in order for their wealth to be investigated.
“Sige one-on-one kami pirmahan ng waiver. Partida na kahit isama pa niya amo [Duterte] niya. Yun ang balik challenge ko na may kabuluhan. Kasi sabi ni Duterte bilyonaryo si Bong Go, para malaman natin saan galing ang pera niya,” Trillanes said.
Duterte had earlier defended Go from allegations that he was involved in the Navy frigate deal, saying that his assistant was a billionaire.
"Who gave you idea he can intervene? Where is his signature?... Alam mo, hindi ako mag-yabang. Pero bilyonaryo ‘to, sa totoo lang… He seem to appear intervening because about money? The things that you are telling never happened," he said in January.
Go, however, said Duterte only made the statement in jest.
"Nang pabirong sinabi ng Pangulo na bilyonaryo ako, merong ari-arian ang pamilya namin kung sakaling ibenta ito. 'Yun ang ibig pong sabihin ng Pangulo," Go said.
“‘Di ko na kailangang magnakaw ng pera ng gobyerno at pera ng tao tulad ni Mr. Trillanes at tinatago agad sa ibang bansa,” he added.
The presidential assistant also said Trillanes should not involve Duterte in the issue.
"Dinadamay niya ang amo ko, kasi si Presidente ang sumagot sa sinasabi niyang waiver ka nang waiver. Ballpen lang katapat mo, gusto mo saksakan?" Go said.
"Mr. Trillanes, wala ka ngang kakampi kahit mga kasama mo sa Cavaliers, sinusuka ka na. Kapag natalo mo ako puwede ka na manghamon," he added.
Go had repeatedly said he is not interested in running for senator in the May 2019 midterm elections despite the President's vocal support and appearances in various events such as a meet and greet with migrant Filipino workers in South Korea.