TRILLANES’ PLUNDER CASE MAY STRENGTHEN INVESTIGATIONS INTO DUTERTE, GO — REMULLA

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the plunder complaint filed by ex-senator Antonio Trillanes IV against former president Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go could assist ongoing investigations into conflict-of-interest cases involving past infrastructure projects. The original complaint, involving over PHP6 billion worth of contracts, was filed last year but bypassed Remulla’s DOJ office and went directly to the Ombudsman under Samuel Martirez. Now refiled, Remulla assured the case will undergo fact-finding, evaluation, and preliminary investigation with due process. Trillanes alleged that Duterte and Go facilitated the awarding of 184 government contracts to firms owned by Go’s family, despite lacking the proper licenses. The complaint cites violations of anti-plunder, anti-graft, and ethics laws, claiming the contracts unduly enriched Go’s family through abuse of authority.