ICI: No invitation has been sent to Bong Go

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday said it has not invited Senator Bong Go to appear as a resource person in its investigation on anomalous flood control projects.

“No invitation has been sent by the commission to Senator Bong Go to appear as resource person,” ICI spokesperson Brian Hosaka told reporters.

He issued the remark when sought for comment on former Senator Trillanes' claim that Go supposedly refused to appear before the ICI unless he was accompanied by Senators Imee Marcos and Bato Dela Rosa.

“I have information that Bong Go was already invited to appear before the ICI pero ayaw niyang pumunta, unless kasama nya sina Imee at Bato para may tiga-abogado sa kanya,” Trillanes said in a Facebook post.

(I have information that Bong Go was already invited to appear before the ICI but he refuses to go unless Imee and Bato go with him so that he’ll have someone to defend him.)

When asked about the ICI’s denial, Trillanes said the ICI should be asked why it has yet to invite Go.

Go, meanwhile, urged Trillanes to not deviate from the truth as he insisted that the real perpetrators behind the anomalous flood control projects should be held accountable. 

Trillanes previously filed plunder and graft complaints with the Office of the Ombudsman against former President Rodrigo Duterte and Go in relation to nearly P7 billion worth of government infrastructure projects awarded to firms owned by the latter’s family.

According to Trillanes, Go's father, owner of CLTG Builders, as well as the Alfrego Builders owned by Go's brother, secured billions worth of government contracts under the Duterte administration where Go served as Special Assistant to the President and later as a senator from 2019 to 2022. 

Go previously urged contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya to "tell the truth" as he maintained that he has no connections with them nor their flood control projects.

This developed as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon said his office and the Ombudsman are now looking into the possible ties of the Discayas to the CLTG Builders. —VAL, GMA Integrated News