By Erica Mae P. Sinaking
Former senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV on Tuesday met former President Rodrigo R. filed a plunder complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Tee. Nearly P7 billion worth of public works contracts in the Davao region were allegedly awarded to construction companies owned by the senator's family.
In the complaint, Mr. Trillanes said the projects were awarded to CLTG Builders and Alfarego Builders, which are owned by Mr. Go's father and brother, respectively.
He flagged off a reported P816 million joint venture between CLTG Builders and Diskaya-owned St. Gerard Construction, one of the 15 contractors eyeing P100 billion of the P545 billion worth of public works slated to start from 2022 onwards.
“The evidence here includes the contracts themselves, which came directly from the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” he told reporters after registering the case.
According to him, CLTG and Alfarego Builders invested about P6.95 billion in government infrastructure projects from 2016 to present.
Asked why Mr Duterte was included among the respondents, the former lawmaker said, “It was Duterte who signed and approved [the contracts],
In a Viber message, Mr. Duterte's former spokesman and legal adviser, Salvador S. Panelo described the complaint as “another publicity stunt”, but clarified that he was not speaking for the former president; While Harry L. Roque, who is also a former spokesman for Mr. Duterte, did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.
In a separate briefing, Mr. Go on Tuesday said he was ready to cooperate with the Ombudsman's Office investigation, dismissing Mr. Trillanes' complaint as a “distraction tactic.”
“I was expecting this complaint, and now we are at the appropriate forum to prove the baselessness of their allegations. I now have the opportunity to respond point by point before the Lokpal,” he told reporters at a news briefing. “I will cooperate with the investigation and follow its legal processes.”
“This is a distraction tactic to mislead the public from the true issues,” Mr Go said, referring to the billion-dollar flood control scandal.
The senator also alleged that Mr. Trillanes had ties to contractors involved in the corruption scheme.
“You're barking up the wrong tree,” he said. “If you are really serious, why don't you file charges against people who are corrupt? You don't want to prosecute them because they are your financiers.”
Mr Go also claims that the former senator has “repeated” the same issue against him since 2018.
DPWH Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon earlier said that the department and Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla have launched an investigation into possible ties between Discayas and CLTG Builders.
Mr Go denied the allegations, saying he did not know Diskayas and had no dealings with him.
The plunder complaint cites alleged violations of the Plunder Law (Republic Act No. 7080), the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019), and the Code of Conduct for Public Officials (Republic Act No. 6713).
Copies of the complaint will also be given to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) for their records.
Mr. Trillanes described Mr. Go as the “chief plunderer,” citing the alleged role of his family members and his close ties to the former president.
He said it was widely known that Mr Duterte and Mr Go were closely related.
From DOJ to Lokpal
Mr Trillanes filed criminal charges against Mr Duterte, Mr Go and the senator's relatives before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in July 2024, accusing them of embezzling about P6.6 billion in contracts from CLTG Builders and Alfarego Builders & Supply from 2007 to 2018.
At the time, he argued that companies consistently won major projects despite limited capacity and unfulfilled obligations, facilitated by Mr. Go's access to Mr. Duterte and the executive branch (which oversees budget approval and oversight over agencies including the DPWH).
Samuel R. The Office of the Ombudsman under Martyrs rejected the complaint referred by the DoJ in June 2025.
The renewed filing points to the continuation of Mr. Trillanes' legal campaign against Mr. Duterte and Mr. Go, reflecting a shift from the DOJ filing — which Mr. Trillanes chose in 2024 to have broader access to verify documents from agencies such as the DPWH, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Commission on Audit — to action with the Ombudsman.
The total value of the contracts in both complaints far exceeds the P50 million limit required to satisfy the provisions of the Anti-Looting Act. , with Adrian H. Halili
