By Erika Mae P. Sinaking
FORMER SENATOR Antonio F. Trillanes IV on Tuesday filed a plunder complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go over nearly P7 billion worth of public works contracts in the Davao Region, allegedly benefiting construction firms owned by the senator’s family.
In the complaint, Mr. Trillanes said the projects were awarded to CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders, which are owned by Mr. Go’s father and brother, respectively.
He flagged an alleged P816-million joint venture between CLTG Builders and Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction, which is among the 15 contractors that cornered P100 billion out of the P545 billion worth of public works rolled out since 2022.
“The evidence here consists of the contracts themselves, which came directly from the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” he told reporters after filing the case.
According to him, CLTG and Alfrego Builders cornered approximately P6.95 billion in government infrastructure projects from 2016 up to the present.
When 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, Salvador S. Panelo, former spokesperson and legal counsel of Mr. Duterte, described the complaint as “yet another publicity stunt,” but clarified he is not speaking for the former president; while Harry L. Roque, also a former spokesman of Mr. Duterte, did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.
In a separate briefing, Mr. Go on Tuesday said that he is open to cooperating in the investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman, dismissing Mr. Trillanes’ complaint as a “diversionary tactic.”
“I have been expecting this complaint, and we are now in the proper forum to prove that baselessness of his allegations. I now have the opportunity to answer him point by point before the Ombudsman,” he told reporters in a news briefing. “I will cooperate with the investigation and abide with by its legal processes.”
“This is a diversionary tactic to mislead the public to the true issues,” Mr. Go added, noting the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.
The senator also alleges that Mr. Trillanes has ties with the contractors involved in the corruption scheme.
“You are barking at the wrong tree,” he said. “If you really are serious, why don’t you file charges against those who are corrupt? You don’t want to pursue them because they are your financier.”
Mr. Go also claims that the former senator has “rehashed” the same issue against him since 2018.
DPWH Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon had earlier said the department and Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla started investigating the possible links between the Discayas and CLTG Builders.
Mr. Go denied the allegations, saying he did not know the Discayas and had nothing to do with them.
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 would also be given to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) for their records.
Mr. Trillanes described Mr. Go as the “main plunderer,” citing the alleged role of his family members and his close relationship with the former president.
He noted it is widely known that Mr. Duterte and Mr. Go are tightly connected.
FROM DOJ TO OMBUDSMANMr. Trillanes filed criminal charges against Mr. Duterte, Mr. Go and the senator’s relatives in July 2024 before the Department of Justice (DoJ), accusing them of funneling around P6.6 billion in contracts from 2007 to 2018 to CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders & Supply.
At the time, he argued that the firms consistently won major projects despite limited capacity and unfinished 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).
The Office of the Ombudsman under Samuel R. Martires dismissed the DoJ-referred complaint 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 DoJ filings — which Mr. Trillanes had chosen in 2024 for its broader access to verify documentation from agencies such as the DPWH, Department of Trade and Industry, and Commission on Audit — to direct action with the Ombudsman.
The total value of contracts in both complaints far exceeds the P50-million threshold required to meet the Anti-Plunder Act’s provisions. — with Adrian H. Halili
