Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go reacted to the graft and plunder cases filed by former senator Antonio Trillanes against him and former president Rodrigo Duterte, saying those were recycled issues.
On Friday, the Department of Justice (DoJ) received fraud and plunder cases that Trillanes filed against Go and the former president.
These concerns the contracts given to CLTG Builders in Davao City and Alfrego Builders and Supply, purportedly owned by Go’s father and sister.
“I have yet to see the verified complaint. But, since this is essentially the same accusation they hurled against me before, I categorically deny the allegations against me and former President Rodrigo Duterte,” Go said in a statement.
Nevertheless, the senator welcomed the charges to finally put an end to these often-recycled issues against them.
“Mabuti nang silipin ang mga akusasyong ito, may irregularity ba talaga? May naging transaksyon ba na disadvantageous sa government? May nanakaw ba? At may linkages ba sa akin na nagsasabing nakinabang ako sa anumang transaksyong ito? COA can find out. And, if there is, it is for COA to file the necessary charges,” Go said.
Go said that the issue is already old music as the accusation started in 2018.
“Ni-recycle pa nila noong 2021. Pero wala pa rin siyang napatunayan. Ngayong papasok na naman ang halalan sa 2025, nag-iingay na naman siya upang mapag-usapan. Gusto lang nila kaming kulayan ng itim para sila ang pumuti. Tatapunan ka nila ng putik para magmukha kang marumi at sila ay magmistulang malinis. Naging tradisyon na ng iba ang manira tuwing nalalapit ang eleksyon. Parang negosyo na nila iyan para kumita o makilala. Ang tanong, sino kaya ang iba pang nasa likod ng black ops niyang ito? Baka ang dapat na silipin ay ang mga nakapaligid sa kanya,” he said.
Go said even before he was born, their family already had their own business.
“Ang sinisigurado ko, hindi ako nakinabang at hindi nakinabang ang pamilya ko sa pagiging taong gobyerno ko. Kahit ipagtanong pa ninyo, ni hindi makalapit ang mga kamag-anak ko sa akin—kahit ang sarili kong tatay at half-brother—para ilakad ang anumang proyekto o kontrata sa gobyerno,” he said.
The senator added that he has never interfered and has never influenced any government transaction, contract, or bidding. He said that when someone uses his name to gain favor with the government, he automatically denies it.
Go said the people know that Trillanes is an attack dog.
“Yan ang totoong corruption. Hayaan na nating ang taumbayan ang humusga,” he said.
Go said, although, he and the former president are simple “probinsiyanos”, they keep their names clean.
“Malinis ang aming konsensya dahil mula noon hanggang ngayon, mayroon kaming delicadeza. Ako naman, patuloy akong nagseserbisyo sa tao sa abot ng aking makakaya. Uunahin ko ang mandato kong tumulong sa mga kapwa ko Pilipino. Sa kalaunan, naniniwala akong mananaig ang katotohanan,” he said.
