Trillanes files reso to probe projects awarded to Bong Go’s kin

FILE: Senator Antonio Trillanes IV (Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV filed a resolution on Wednesday, September 12, directing his committee on civil service, government reorganization, and professional regulation to investigate government contracts obtained by the family of Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence Tesoro “Bong” Go.

In his Resolution No. 889, Trillanes sought to determine possible conflict of interest in the deals awarded to Alfrego Builders and Supplies and CLTG Builders, which according to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), are owned by Go’s father and half-brother.

The PCIJ earlier reported that President Rodrigo Duterte “gave the largest share of public works funds in the 2017 national budget” to his home region and bailiwick, Davao Region.

It added that among the contractors benefited from the multibillion-peso worth of projects in the region are the CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders and Supplies.

“The company that bears the initials of the presidential aide appears in Davao City’s 10 biggest contractors year on year from 2010 to 2017, according to DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) data,” the PCIJ said.

According to its report, CLTG Builders bagged a P1.85-billion worth of infrastructure projects for Davao Region from 2007 to 2017 and another P2.7-billion in joint ventures with four contractors including Alfrego Builders and Supplies.

“In sum, CLTG has been awarded PhP4.6 billion worth of projects, all from the DPWH, in the past decade. It won more than half of that total only last year, however. None of these projects has been awarded by the local government of Davao City,” it noted.

Trillanes in his resolution said CLTG Builders, which is coincidentally the initials of Duterte’s top aide, “caught the attention” of the PCIJ’s research as it was not able to finish all its joint-venture projects within the original deadline.

The opposition senator also stressed that the CLTG has a B license which means that it could not carry out a ‘big-ticket’ project without having a partner.

“There is an urgent need to look into this matter as conflict of interest or undue influence exerted by government officials and employees in the conduct of government transactions threatens the quality of service the public is receiving,” he said.

Go earlier said he welcomed the move of Trillanes to initiate a Senate probe into the multibillion-peso deals involving his family. The President’s top aide urged Trillanes to even start the inquiry “as soon as possible.”

“Kahit bukas agad pwede akong sumalang sa Senado, para naman mabisita ko sya kung saan sya nagtatago (I can even face the Senate tomorrow so I can also visit him to where he is hiding),” Go said last Monday.

“I will be more than happy to face the inquiry as this will give me another chance to prove my non-involvement and another Senate appearance will also give me free media mileage,” he continued.

Go said he will step down from his post if the allegations thrown against him were proven to be true, but if not, Trillanes should be the one to resign.

Meanwhile, the Palace, also on Wednesday, said that while it cannot interfere in the legislative probe, it believed that Go can “very well defend himself.”