MANILA — Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go dismissed as “politically motivated” the graft and plunder complaint filed against him and former president Rodrigo Duterte, branding it a diversionary move to mislead the public and deflect attention from the real culprits in the alleged flood control fund irregularities.
Go accused former senator Antonio Trillanes IV of reviving old issues to malign him and Duterte, calling the complaint “black propaganda” designed to protect the former lawmaker’s alleged political backers.
“Ang layunin niya ay proteksyunan lang po ang kanyang mga financier at mga nasa likod ng black propaganda na ito… Isa po itong diversionary tactic para ilihis ang atensyon ng taong bayan sa tunay na mga issue,” Go said.
Trillanes alleged that Go and Duterte funneled about ₱7 billion worth of infrastructure contracts to companies linked to Go’s family. But the senator rejected the claim outright.
“Hindi po ako magnanakaw. Hindi po ako kontraktor,” he said. “Senador po ako na nagseserbisyo lang po sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino. May delikadesa po ako… Pangalan ko po at hinding-hindi ko sasayangin yan.”
Go said the accusations were nothing new, recalling that Trillanes had made similar charges ahead of the 2019 and 2025 elections.
“September of 2018, bago yung halalan, bago pa ako nag-file… nag-ingay na siya noon. Siniraan na niya ako… Last year nung ako po ay tatakbo muli for re-election July 6 of 2024, same issue,” Go said.
Despite his frustration, the senator vowed to confront the case before the proper authorities.
“I have been expecting this complaint and now we are in the proper forum to prove the baselessness of his allegations. I now have the opportunity to answer him point by point before the Ombudsman and not on media anymore,” he said.
Trillanes, meanwhile, claimed his complaint was supported by official Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) records covering 2007 to 2018. He said he initially planned to file the case before the Department of Justice but waited for a leadership change at the Office of the Ombudsman.
“The truth will be revealed and believe that justice and fairness shall prevail. I hope that the Ombudsman will be fair,” Go said./PN
