Bong Go denies links to CLTG, calls probe a ‘distraction’

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday dismissed the ongoing investigation into the controversial CLTG Builders joint venture as a political maneuver meant to distract the public from more pressing corruption cases, particularly those involving ghost projects and flood control anomalies.

Speaking to reporters amid scrutiny over his alleged connection to contractor couple Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, Go said the probe into CLTG Builders is nothing more than an attempt to drag his name into a scandal that he claims has already been addressed in a Senate hearing.

“Bakit? Ang layo eh. Binuksan ko ‘yan mismo sa hearing. Tinanong ko sila (Why? It’s too far. I even opened it up during the hearing. I asked them),” Go said, referring to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on anomalous infrastructure projects in the country.

“Una kong tinanong yan. Sabi ko, sa inyo: meron kayong joint venture? ‘Yes.’ Tapos na? ‘Yes.’ Napakinabangan? ‘Yes.’ After two months, babalikan mo? Ta’s sasabihin mo na di na nag-cooperate, pina-protect siya? Open nga yan. Bukas po yan sa hearing sa Senado (That’ my first question. I asked them: Do you have a joint venture? ‘Yes.’ Is it completed? ‘Yes.’ Was it used? ‘Yes.’ After two months, will you go back to it? Now, you would say you won’t cooperate to protect someone? That was discussed openly. It was openly tackled during the Senate hearing),” Go recalled.

CLTG Builders is reportedly linked to Go’s family, with reports citing it as a business formerly owned by his father.

The Discayas, meanwhile, are now under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for their involvement in anomalous public works projects across the country, including a joint venture with CLTG in Davao City.

Despite concerns of conflict of interest, Go insisted that neither he nor his family benefited from the contracts under investigation.

“Let me repeat, wala pa ako sa mundong ito, may negosyo na ang pamilya ko (Let me repeat, I was not yet born in this world, my family already had several businesses),” he said.

“Wala pa ako, di pa ako senador, may negosyo na yan at for the record, retired na po yan, 2019. May facts, may katotohanan yan. Retired na po yan, 2022, from 2019 (I was not even born yet, I was not even a senator yet, they already have businesses. And for the record, they retired already in 2019. There are facts, it is the truth. They retired in 2022 from 2019),” he further pressed.

Go also emphasized his willingness to cooperate with authorities.

“Willing po tayo malaman ang katotohanan. Kahit kamag-anak ko, kasuhan ninyo kung may kasalanan (I am willing to know the truth, either. You can file a case, even to my relatives if they are guilty),” he said.

Earlier, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that his office, in coordination with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, is reviewing contracts dating back to the Duterte administration from 2016 to 2022 involving CLTG Builders and the Discayas.

“We are looking at connections between Discayas and CLTG Corporation. That’s what we discussed with the Ombudsman last night,” Dizon said.

Meanwhile, Remulla, in a radio interview, was more direct, criticizing the Discayas for refusing to fully cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the Palace-backed body formed to probe irregularities in public infrastructure spending.

Remulla hinted that the Discayas are cherry-picking whom to implicate.

“Simpleng simple ‘yung tanong, ‘yung nangyari sa joint venture nila sa CLTG Builders sa Davao. Ayaw naman nila sabihin eh. Ang sabi lang, wala daw sila. Kahit kailan na wala silang alam. Basta ginamit lang daw ‘yung lisensya nila. Mahirap naman yung ganoon (The question is very simple: what happened to their joint venture with CLTG Builders in Davao. They don’t want to tell us anything. They just said nothing, they don’t know anything. Insisting that they just let their license be borrowed by another firm. We cannot take that as it is),” Remulla said.

He emphasized that the couple is now facing multiple criminal charges and is unlikely to avoid jail time unless they enter a plea bargain and fully disclose all transactions.

“Pinipili lang nila ‘yung gusto nilang idiin. At kahit sa mga congressman, ayaw nilang sabihin lahat, pati sa mga senador (They were cherry picking who they want to pin down. They don’t even want to disclose all their dealings with congressmen and senators),” Remulla lamented.

Go, however, questioned the motive behind revisiting the 2017 joint venture in Davao, calling it “unfair” and an attempt to associate his name with a non-anomalous contract.

He insisted he never influenced any government-related businesses in Davao City.

“Umabot na nga ng Baguio, umabot ng NBI, umabot ng Ilocos Norte. Ang daming dapat tingnan na lugar, Mindoro. Bakit ka atras doon sa 2017 sa Davao? Hindi naman flood control, hindi naman ghost project, hindi naman anomalous, bakit mo atrasin doon? Para lang idawit yung pangalan ko (It even reached Baguio, the NBI, Ilocos Norte. There are so many places that should be looked into—Mindoro, for example. Why would you go back to 2017 in Davao? It’s not a flood control project, it’s not a ghost project, it’s not even anomalous. So why bring it up? Just to drag my name into it),” he said.

He also warned the public not to be misled.

“Sabi ko unfair nga, unfair na atras ka. Yan, sadyang inililihis nga yung issue. Sana unfair lang po (I said it’s unfair, it’s unfair to go back like that. That’s clearly an attempt to divert the issue. I hope it’s just unfair and nothing more),” he added.

“Ako, nire-respect ko ang Ombudsman, nire-respect ko ang DPWH, nire-respect ko ang ICI sa kanilang mandato at willing tayo to cooperate. Basta tumbukin ang katotohanan (I respect the Ombudsman, I respect the DPWH, I respect the ICI in their mandate, and I am willing to cooperate as long as we get to the truth). Just the truth,” he further asserted.

Go then reiterated his adherence to a strong sense of propriety, asserting that he never intervened to favor any family member in government dealings.

“Hindi ako nakinabang. I observe delikadesa — yan ang puhunan ko hanggang ngayon (I had not gained anything. I observe propriety—that’s my investment until now),” he pressed.

Go held significant sway as former President Rodrigo Duterte’s longtime aide and trusted ally until present.