Former Senator Antonio Trillanes was shown to have lied when he claimed that Senator Christopher “Bong” Go had a property in Ayala Alabang Village, after a barangay official of the swanky village in Muntinlupa City said the allegation was not true.

Trillanes earlier asserted in a radio interview that Go had a four-story property in the subdivision, which featured an elevator, worth P500 million that was not disclosed in the senator’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

“We don’t have any record or even knowledge that Senator Go has applied for a permit for the construction or acquisition of property here. Any construction or acquisition of properties here goes through us, apart from AAVA (Ayala Alabang Village Association),” said Robert Reyes, Barangay Ayala Alabang secretary, in an exclusive interview with DAILY TRIBUNE on Wednesday.

“We will definitely know if Senator Go applied for any construction. What’s for sure is that Senator Go has no property here,” he added.

The barangay official said the village council undertakes stringent due diligence to identify individuals who buy or rent properties within the subdivision, in an effort to bar Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) from the upscale village.

Reyes also ruled out the possibility Go used a “dummy” to acquire a property in Ayala Alabang.

“Our barangay captain has really been monitoring things ever since POGO personnel started renting here. After that, we thoroughly examine those who apply for construction. With that due diligence, we are pretty sure Senator Go has no property here,” Reyes stressed.

The Department of Justice last year arrested seven Chinese and one Vietnamese nationals after a series of raids inside Ayala Alabang Village for involvement in scamming activities linked to POGOs.

Property consultant Santos Frank Knight described Ayala Alabang Village as an upscale subdivision that is bigger than most of Makati’s exclusive villages. It is divided into seven districts and features plenty of amenities, from parks and playgrounds to sports facilities such as pools, basketball and tennis courts, and football fields.

Inside is the Alabang Country Club, known for its luxurious facilities, and conveniently located outside the village are Alabang Town Center and the Madrigal Business Park.

According to the OnePropertee website, a lot in Ayala Alabang Village currently sells for P260,000 per square meter.

‘Crazy’ Trillanes yarn

Meanwhile, a source from AAVA said they haven’t seen Go in the exclusive subdivision, calling the allegation of Trillanes “crazy.”

“We haven’t even seen Senator Go come in here. We all know that ‘Trililing’ is full of fake news,” the source said.

DAILY TRIBUNE attempted to access the list of legitimate property owners in Ayala Alabang, but the AAVA management required an authorization letter from property owners before sharing their records.

The office of Senator Go was asked if a cyber libel charge would be filed against Trillanes.

A member of his communication team replied: “Ayala Alabang should be the one to file the case because their reputation has been tarnished. They even showed a homeowner’s house. What if someone with bad intentions goes there? So Ayala should also file a case.”