Sen. Bong Go apologizes for claiming Lapulapu was from Mindanao

On April 27, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go was in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, to celebrate the anniversary of the island.

The 500th-anniversary commemoration of the clash happened between an assemblage of natives, who were led by their chieftain Lapulapu against the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan who led the Spanish colonizers.

Many historians found themselves surprised by the claims of Sen. Go stating that Lapulapu might come from Mindanao.

Jose Eleazar Bersales, a Cebuano archaeologist, said that there is a chance Go might have read Dr. Danilo Gerona’s book and took to his account. “Ferdinand Magellan, The Armada de Maluco and the European Discovery of the Philippines” is the book’s title.

Bersales already knew that prospects of idiotic claims of Lapu-Lapu’s tangible heritage and that most of what people knew of the national hero were from folk myths and legends;

“Heavily loaded with nationalist discourses,” Bersales added.

After a few days, Sen. Bong Go clarified the issue, admitted his mistake, and apologized via his Facebook account, stating;

“Idol namin ni Pangulong Duterte si Lapu-Lapu. Mataas ang pagtingin namin sa unang bayani natin bilang kami ay mga Bisaya na nagmula sa Mindanao. Sa katunayan, itinatag ni Pangulo noong 2017 ang Order of Lapu-Lapu Award bilang parangal sa kagitingan ng mga kahanga-hangang indibidwal na nagseseserbisyo sa bansa ngayon. Tulad ni Lapu-Lapu, handa kami ni Pangulong Duterte na mamatay habang nagseserbisyo sa aming kapwa Pilipino.

“Ako po ay taus-pusong humihingi ng paumanhin kung iba ang dating ng aking naikwento. Nais kong klaruhin na buo ang aking respeto sa ating kasaysayan at wala akong intensyong baguhin ang paghanga at paniniwala natin sa buhay ng ating mga bayani. Handa po akong makinig at matuto base sa kaalaman ng mga eksperto sa larangan ng kasaysayan.”

Here’s his full public apology on the matter.