Trillanes files P6.6 billion plunder complaint vs Duterte, Go

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV filed a plunder complaint against former president Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Bong Go before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday.?

“This is about the government projects, totaling P6.6 billion, which were awarded to the father and sibling of Bong Go. All the elements of a plunder charge are present in this case,” Trillanes said in an interview.?

Citing Commission on Audit records, Trillanes said that P6.6 billion worth of government contracts were awarded to CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders and Supply, allegedly owned by the father and sibling of Go.

Go denied the allegations, describing Trillanes as an “attack dog” and “lazy.”

While he has yet to see the complaint, Go said he welcomes the filing of the complaint “to finally put an end to the issues.”

In his 30-page complaint, Trillanes claimed that CLTG Builders was awarded 125 public works projects by the government worth around P4.89 billion from 2007 to 2018.?Meanwhile, he noted that Alfrego Builders and Supply was awarded 59 public works projects “around the same span of time” amounting to P1.74 billion.

The complaint states that the infrastructure projects clearly favored Go’s family members as they “unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of the Filipino people.”

In the complaint filed before the DOJ, Duterte and Go were also accused of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Trillanes explained that he filed the complaint before the DOJ instead of the Office of the Ombudsman because he believes that the department has more access to different government agencies to validate the documents he filed.

When asked why he only decided to file the complaint now, he claimed that the judiciary was controlled and influenced by Duterte during his time.

Go said the complaint has been “recycled” as the accusations date back to 2018, yet nothing was proven.

The complaint is merely being used by Trillanes to make noise for the upcoming 2025 elections, Go said. – Cecille Suerte Felipe