MANILA, Philippines – Senator-elect Bong Go will be taking his oath before no other than his longtime boss, President Rodrigo Duterte.

The former special assistant to the President said the event, which would be held at Malacañang, will be low-key, with only family and close friends from government in attendance.

“Sa July 1 po ako mag-o-oath kay Pangulong Duterte with no fanfare. Ako lang po at pamilya. Siguro witness ko po ‘yung mga dating kasamahan sa gobyerno…nung umpisa pa po,” Go said in a press conference on Monday, June 10.

(I will take my oath before President Duterte with no fanfare. It’ll be just me and my family. Maybe I will have as witnesses some of my former colleagues in government who were there from the start.)

Go’s political career started with the President. Duterte himself even joined Go when the latter filed his certificate of candidacy in October 2018, and the President actively campaigned for his trusted man.

Go is so far set to head the Senate committee on health, which was vacated by outgoing Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito.

The entry of Go, the undisputed gateway to the President, to the Senate is seen as both beneficial and disadvantageous to the chamber.

His party mate, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, said Go would be the Senate’s “direct line” to Duterte, improving ties between the executive and legislative branches of government.

Analysts, however, said Go would serve as the President’s “eyes and ears” in the Senate.

The terms of newly elected senators in the 2019 polls will begin on June 30. – Rappler.com