Gov’t to look into firm of Bong Go’s family, possible ties to Discayas
Metro Manila, Philippines - The government will look into the connection of the controversial Discaya couple and a construction firm tied to the family of Sen. Bong Go in the continuing investigation into anomalous flood control deals.
In an interview on Thursday, Oct. 16, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Ombudsman Boying Remulla instructed his agency to look into the connection of Sarah and Curlee Discaya to CLTG Builders, owned by the senator’s father, Deciderio Go.
A 2018 report by the Philippine Center Investigative for Journalism revealed that CLTG is one of the firms that bagged the most number of infrastructure projects in the Davao region.
“Nag-usap na kami ni Ombudsman Remulla kagabi about this and ngayon we are already working to look at the documents from the previous administration…we are looking at the connection of the Discayas and CLTG,” said Dizon.
[Translation: Ombudsman Remulla and I already spoke about this last night, and now we are already working on reviewing the documents from the previous administration… we are looking into the connection between the Discayas and CLTG.]
Bong Go has denied links to his family’s businesses and even said he himself will recommend to file cases against the company should there be enough evidence against his relatives.
Attempt to link Dutertes?
Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte is confident that she will not be implicated in the flood control scandal. But critics, she said, may attempt to link her as her family is an ally of Go.
“Sa tingin ko susubukan nila na paabutin sa akin dahil sa kaalyado ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte si Sen. Bong Go. Doon siguro nila gagawan ng kwento 'yun,” the vice president said in a forum.
[Translation: I think they will try to include me in the mess because former President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Bong Go are allies. They may create a story about that.]
Duterte noted that there are no flood control projects in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which she headed for two years.
“Makakasabi naman talaga ang mga contractors and even si (former) Secretary (Manuel) Bonoan, wala talaga akong at all project diyan sa DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” she said.
[Translation: Contractors and even former Secretary Bonoan could vouch that I had no projects with the DPWH.]
The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) – the investigating body looking into questionable flood control deals, is probing projects from 2016 to 2025.
The development came after the Discaya couple withdrew its cooperation from the ICI investigation over the possibility that their participation wouldn’t guarantee them the chance to be state witnesses.
Dizon said the Discaya couple should cooperate with the ICI investigation.
During a Senate inquiry, the Discaya couple admitted their participation on questionable flood control deals through payoffs, implicating high-ranking lawmakers and public works officials. Sarah Discaya also told lawmakers that they own multiple companies, which sometimes bid on the same government projects.
Dizon added that he trusts the Ombudsman that the first case filed by the DPWH will send Discayas to jail.
On Sept. 11, the Public Works Department filed criminal complaints, including graft and corruption, malversation of public funds, and violation to procurement law, against Sarah, four other contractors, and a number of public works officials, for questionable projects in Bulacan.
“Magiging ready na iyon for filing sa Sandiganbayan and alam niyo naman non-bailable iyong mga kaso doon. Malapit na magkaharap-harapan dito. Linggo na lang siguro ang bibilangin at malapit nang ma-file ng Ombudsman,” he said in a follow up interview.
[Translation: The case will be ready for filing in the Sandiganbayan and you know these are non-bailable offenses. The face-off is getting close. Maybe just a few more weeks, and the Ombudsman will soon file it.]
