Trillanes accuses Duterte, Go of P6-B plunder

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday accused President Rodrigo Duterte and his close ally, Senator Bong Go, of committing plunder to the tune of P6.6 billion over government contracts won by the construction firm owned by Go's father.

Trillanes, in a YouTube video citing documents he secured from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Commission on Audit (COA), said CLTG Builders owned by Go's father Desiderio Lim bagged 125 government infrastructure projects in Davao City and the Davao region worth P4.89 billion from March 2007 to May 2018. 

6.6 billion Plunder nila Duterte at Bong Go, inexpose ni Trillanes #TRx EPISODE 9
WATCH FULL VIDEO and SUBSCRIBE to our Official YouTube Channel:https://t.co/CJdNmahM9i pic.twitter.com/K60VyT3HRR

— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) July 5, 2021

A fierce critic of the administration, Trillanes said Senator Go, through two government contractors that "appeared to be" separately owned by Desiderio Lim Go and Senator Go's half-brother, Alfredo Amero Go, cornered public contracts for road widening and concreting in Davao amounting to P4.89 billion and P1.74 billion, respectively.

“Base sa records ng DTI, ang CLTG Builders ay pagmamay-ari ni Mr. Desiderio Lim Go na tatay ni Bong Go. By the way, ang CLTG ay initials din ng buong pangalan ni Bong Go na Christopher Lawrence Tesoro Go,” Trillanes said.

“Ang Alfrego Builders & Supply naman, ayon din sa DTI, ay pagmamay-ari ni Alfredo Amero Go na half-brother naman ni Bong Go,” he added.

(Based on DTI's records, CLTG Builders is owned by Mr. Desiderio Lim Go, who is Bong Gos' father. By the way, CLTG are the initials of Bong Go's real name. Also according to the DTI, Alfrego Builders & Supply is owned by Alfredo Amero Go, who is Bong Go's half-brother.)

Trillanes said that based on COA documents, CTLG cornered 125 projects from March 2007 to May 2018 amounting to P4.89 billion. Alfrego Builders, meanwhile, cornered 59 projects from June 2007 to July 2018 amounting to P1.74 billion, a bulk of which in 2018 alone.

All the said projects are located in Davao City or the Davao region, Trillanes said.

“Pag i-total ang mga projects na nakuha ng tatay at ng half-brother ni Bong Go, ito ay aabot sa P6.6 billion. Specifically, 1.5 billion pesos nung mayor pa lang si Duterte sa Davao City, habang 5.1 billion pesos worth of projects naman ang nakuha ng pamilya ni Bong Go nung unang dalawang taon pa lang ng pagka-presidente ni Duterte,” Trillanes said.

(In total, the projects acquired by Bong Go's father and half-brother are worth P6.6 billion. Specifically, P1.5 billion when Duterte was mayor of Davao City, while Bong Go's family got P5.1 billion worth of projects in the first two years of Duterte's presidency.)

"Ito ay maliwanag na patong-patong na kaso ng plunder na umaabot sa P6.6 billion pesos," Trillanes said.

(These are clear cases of plunder amounting to P6.6 billion.)

Trillanes also said both Alfrego Builders & Supply and CLTG Builders have “B” licenses that would’ve barred them from getting big projects.

"[B]ut they managed to circumvent this requirement by executing joint venture arrangements with contractors with 'AAA' licenses," he said.

Trillanes cited a provision in the Constitution that prohibits the president, vice president, Cabinet members and their deputies from participating in any business or be financially interested in any contract with the government.

“At dahil bilyon-bilyon ang halaga ng mga kontratang ito, ano ang krimen nilang ginawa? Plunder. Maliwanag na ginamit ni Bong Go ang kanyang posisyun, in connivance with and obvious consent of Duterte as mayor and later on as president, para makinabang ang kanyang pamilya,” he said.

(And because these contracts are worth billions, what crime did they commit? Plunder. It's clear that Bong Go is using his position, in connivance with and obvious consent of Duterte as mayor and later on as president, to benefit his family.)

Trillanes said the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and news website Rappler already reported about Go's family getting such big-time government contracts in 2018, prompting him to seek a Senate probe into it.

His Senate term, however, ended on June 30, 2019. 

Trillanes said he would file charges against Duterte and Go once they step down from office.

“Sa mga magtatanong kung bakit hindi ngayon na? Kasi siguradong gagamitin nila ang kanilang kapangyarihan para ibasura ang mga kasong isasampa sa kanila. Hayaan nyo, konting antay na lang naman,” he said.

(To those asking why not do it now, it's because they will surely use their power to junk any case against them. Just wait a little while longer.)

Nothing new

In response, Malacañang dared Trillanes to file charges against Duterte and Go even as it said that the former lawmaker's accusation is not new.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Trillanes' accusation of a P6-billion plunder was a rehash of an old one that went nowhere.

"Lumang tugtugin na po 'yan. Binato na iyan noon, wala naman siyang napatunayan. Isampa na po niya [ang kaso] ngayon kung sa paniniwala niya meron siyang ebidensiya," Roque said.

(That's an old tune. He's alleged these before, but was not able to prove anything. He should file a case now if he thinks he has evidence.) 

Go: Rehashed lies

In a statement, Go dismissed the allegations as rehashed lies, saying he had answered the allegations, and recalled challenging Trillanes in September 2018 to investigate and file cases.

“Puro kasinungalingan ang pinapakain niya sa taumbayan. Kaysa makatulong, nilalason lang niya ang isipan ng mga Pilipino para sa kanyang pansariling interes.”

(He keeps feeding people lies. Instead of helping them, he’s poisoning the minds of Filipinos for his own interests.)

Go said the transactions went through public bidding and proper procurement procedures, adding he never allowed his family to ask him for favors.

“Ang tanong ay nakinabang ba ako? Nakialam ba ako? Nag impluwensya ba ako? Wala! Buti pa ang ibang tao, nakakahingi ng tulong sa akin. Pero ang pamilya ko hindi nakakalapit sa akin 'yan, lalo na ang half-brother ko na magkaiba naman ang aming nanay,” he said.

(The question is, did I benefit from those projects? Did I interfere? Did I use my influence? No! Other people were able to ask for my help. My family never approached me, especially my half-brother since we have different mothers.)

In a statement issued last week, Go also said he is used to Trillanes' accusations.

"Sanay na tayo diyan. Maglalabas ng akusasyon, hindi naman kayang patunayan kasi puro imbento lang ang nalalaman (We are used to that. He will make accusations but he has no evidence to back it up)," Go said, claiming Trillanes is making the accusations because the 2022 polls are fast approaching.

"Pero kung puro patutsada at paninira lang, sayang lang po oras natin sa mga imbentong kwento ni Trillanes. At kung may alam talaga siya bakit po next week pa?" Go added.

(We are wasting our time with Trillanes' accusations. If he really has evidence against us, why wait next week to reveal it?)

He insisted that Duterte remains consistent with his campaign against corruption, saying there are government officials being suspended every week.— With a report from Hana Bordey/KG/RSJ/KBK/BM, GMA News