MANILA — Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV has filed plunder and graft complaints against former president Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, and members of Go’s family over what he described as “illicitly cornered” government infrastructure projects amounting to billions of pesos.

The complaint, filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, centers on approximately ₱7 billion worth of public works contracts allegedly awarded to firms owned by Go’s father, Desiderio, and brother, Alfredo — CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders and Supply — from 2007 to 2018.

Trillanes cited a 2018 investigation by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), which found that the Go family’s companies received the largest number and highest-value infrastructure projects in the Davao region during Duterte’s tenure as both Davao City mayor and Philippine president.

“Respondent Go clearly took advantage of his public positions as an aide and alter-ego of Respondent Duterte, in cornering illicitly billions upon billions of public infrastructure projects in favor of the unqualified sole proprietorship registered in the names of his father and brother,” Trillanes’ complaint read.

According to Trillanes, records showed that from 2007 to 2018, CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders were awarded government projects valued at “a staggering amount of at least ₱6.6 billion.”

The former senator said this pattern of alleged favoritism continued when Go became Duterte’s special assistant in Malacañang, prior to his election to the Senate in 2019.

Previous Dismissal and New Evidence

Trillanes first lodged similar complaints in July 2024, but these were dismissed by then-Ombudsman Samuel Martires “without prejudice” to refiling. “On June 2, 2025, the Honorable Office under the helm of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires issued a Notice of the dismissal of the July 5, 2024 Complaint-Affidavit without prejudice to its refiling,” Trillanes noted in his new complaint.

This time, the former senator introduced new elements, particularly the alleged link between the Go family’s firms and the controversial Discaya family, owners of St. Gerrard Construction — a company currently under scrutiny for questionable Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contracts.

Trillanes cited a Rappler report indicating that CLTG Builders entered into joint ventures with St. Gerrard Construction for five projects in the Davao region amounting to ₱816 million. “This is clearly a tell-tale sign that the construction firms with which they partnered with were merely included in the bid documents to window dress the two sole proprietorships’ records, and to allow them to secure contracts for projects for which they otherwise would not be qualified to bid for,” the complaint said.

Go Denies Allegations: “Recycled and Baseless”

In a press conference at the Senate on Tuesday, Senator Go broke his silence and denied any wrongdoing, describing Trillanes’ allegations as “baseless” and politically motivated.

“I have been expecting this complaint, and now we are in the proper forum to prove the baselessness of his allegations,” Go said. “I now have the opportunity to answer him point-by-point before the Ombudsman, and not in the media anymore.”

“Let’s not deviate from the truth. I notice that there are people who are causing trouble. There are people behind this who are only disturbing the truth. But, I am one with the Filipinos in this crusade and fight against corruption,” he added.

The senator dismissed the complaints as a “recycled diversionary tactic,” claiming the same accusations had resurfaced in 2018, 2021, and again in 2024 ahead of election seasons.

“In 2021, he thought I was running. Same issue—July of 2021. Last year, when I ran again for re-election on July 6, 2024. Same issue. Same. The clothes he’s wearing now. Today. July of 2024. This was last year. The polo he’s wearing is still the same color. It’s still rehashed. Even his polo is still rehashed,” Go said. “He used it again. That’s the same thing he used to destroy me.”

Go further alleged that Trillanes’ motives were political and designed to “protect financiers” and distract from ongoing scandals within the current administration, particularly in the DPWH. “Where are the ones who should be blamed for the issue of flood control? Where are they? Why didn’t you mention the big shots?” Go asked. “Corruption is rampant in the current government. The real issues of flood control scandals, ghost projects, and substandard projects. That’s the issue now.”

He urged the Ombudsman, the DPWH, and the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate alleged irregularities in public works spending. “Let’s not deviate from the truth. Seek the truth, not the script,” Go repeated. “People are waiting. Don’t cover up the truth, or it will be a mess.”

“You Are Barking at the Wrong Tree”

Go also accused Trillanes of hypocrisy for not pursuing allegedly corrupt congressmen who, according to him, double as contractors. “The truth is coming out. Who are the real ‘cong-tractors’? It’s the contractors who hold the contracts and earn the money. These contractors are also congressmen. These are the people you should be going after, Trillanes,” Go said.

“You refuse to go after them because they are your financiers,” he added.

He went on to claim that funds used in Trillanes’ past investigations may have come from “flood-control kickbacks” linked to those same contractors. “To Trillanes: You are barking at the wrong tree. If you are really serious, why don’t you file a case against corrupt officials? Why don’t you file a case against your financiers? Those contractors. You know that. We’ve been holding hearings here in the Senate about that for months now.”

Legal Context

The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) penalizes public officials who exhibit manifest partiality toward private entities or cause undue injury to the government.

Meanwhile, plunder — a more serious offense — requires that the amount involved exceed ₱50 million and that prosecutors establish the existence of a “main plunderer,” a principle developed during the pork barrel cases of the 2010s.

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