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Trillanes files plunder complaint vs. Duterte, Go Over P7-B infrastructure projects

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

FORMER Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has filed a plunder complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman, against former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, and the senator’s father and brother, over alleged anomalous infrastructure contracts worth billions of pesos.

Duterte and Go’s camp have yet to issue a response to the charges.

Trillanes made the filing on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, accusing the officials of orchestrating the awarding of lucrative government projects to a firm linked to the Go family.

Trillanes filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for possible violations of the Plunder Law (RA 7080), the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019), and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713). 

The complaint centers on an alleged total of P7 billion worth of infrastructure projects awarded since 2016 to CLTG Builders, a construction company that Trillanes claims was owned by Senator Go’s father.

Furthermore, the complaint specifically highlighted an alleged P816 million portion of these projects. 

This amount reportedly covers contracts secured through a joint venture between CLTG Builders and St. Gerrard Construction, a firm owned by the couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya.

Trillanes, a staunch critic of the former President, stated that the officials used their power and influence to facilitate the amassing of billions in public funds.

For his part, Senator Go has repeatedly denied previous similar allegations regarding his family’s businesses, maintaining that he has never used his position in government to benefit his relatives.

The Office of the Ombudsman is expected to conduct an initial review to determine if there is sufficient basis to proceed with a formal investigation into the plunder complaint. 

The filing marks the latest legal challenge against the former President and his long-time aide.

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Baste’s camp seeks to block Ombudsman clearance for Justice Secretary Remulla

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

THE LEGAL team of Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has formally opposed the clearance granted to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Duterte’s camp filed a letter with the Ombudsman on September 24, 2025, arguing that the clearance should be blocked because a complaint they filed against Remulla and others is still unresolved.

The pending case stems from the alleged involvement in the transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.

The complaint names Secretary Remulla as one of the respondents. Duterte’s legal team stressed that with the case still pending, the Justice Secretary is ineligible to be cleared by the Ombudsman.

The issue has gained public attention as Secretary Remulla had recently and publicly stated that he had already received clearance from the Ombudsman, an important prerequisite as he is also known to be applying for the position of the next Ombudsman.

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Conflict of interest

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron
  • Baste asks acting Ombudsman to inhibit from cases

ACTING Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has formally requested Acting Ombudsman Dante Vargas to inhibit from handling the complaint filed against several high-ranking government officials.

Citing a potential conflict of interest, Duterte’s legal team filed an urgent motion on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

In a media interview outside the Ombudsman’s Mindanao office, Atty. Israelito Torreon, Duterte’s legal counsel, explained the motion’s two main points—for Vargas to inhibit himself and for all hearings to be held at the Ombudsman’s Mindanao office instead of in Manila.

Torreon alleged that Vargas’s wife is a classmate of one of the respondents, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

This, along with a separate claim that an order was issued to cancel the docketed complaints, raised concerns about the acting ombudsman’s impartiality.

“We are here this morning for in behalf in our client Mayor Sebastian Baste Duterte, acting mayor, who filed cases to two days ago against DILG Secretary Juan Victor Remulla, Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Eduardo Año, Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, Police Brigadier General Rommel Francisco Marbil, Police General Nicholas Torre III, Marcos Lacanilao, Anthony Alcantara, Richard Anthony Padullon, Police Brig Gen Jean Farjado, and other John Does, for kidnapping 8 counts, arbitrary detention 8 counts, and seven other crimes,” Torreon told the media in an interview on Wednesday morning outside the Ombudsman Mindanao office.

The charges include eight counts of kidnapping, eight counts of arbitrary detention, and other related crimes.

“Acting Ombudsman Vargas may not be so impartial in the handling of this case,” he said.

Safety of witnesses

The motion also argued that holding hearings in Manila would jeopardize the safety of witnesses.

Torreon said some of the respondents are high-ranking officials who “hold control over the PNP, the Army, and all government officers.”

He said witnesses would not feel secure traveling to Manila for the proceedings.

“If the investigation will be conducted in Mindanao, at least they are safe,” he stated.

‘Forum Shopping’ allegations

Atty. Leo Delgra, another member of the legal team, said that Vargas’s alleged attempt to cancel the docketed complaints in Mindanao was a sign of his partiality.

“We are doing everything to issue the clearance in favor of the applicant Remulla,” Delgra said, referring to the Justice Secretary’s reported application to become the next Ombudsman.

“We reiterate the clearance of Remulla is just a consequence of the justice being sought by Mayor Baste Duterte, which is the kidnapping of PRRD,” he further explained.

When asked what would happen if the motion is not granted, Torreon stated, “We will file for motion for reconsideration and then if denied then we’ll go up, we’ll just use our remedies provided.”

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Baste takes action

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron
  • Criminal complaint vs. top gov’t officials over FPRRD’s arrest

MAYOR Sebastian Z. Duterte filed criminal and administrative complaints on Monday, Sept. 15, against several high-ranking government officials and police officers for the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The complaint, filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, alleged a wide range of offenses related to the former President’s detention and transfer on March 11, 2025. 

Named in the complaint were Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Interior and Local Government Secretary Juan Victor “Jonvic” Remulla, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año. 

Also listed as respondents are officials from the Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other government agencies, along with unnamed individuals.

The complaint accused the officials of criminal offenses, including kidnapping (eight counts), arbitrary detention (eight counts), expulsion, and usurpation of judicial functions. 

In addition, they face administrative charges like serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, and disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines.

According to the 160-page affidavit, the respondents are “impleaded” for their alleged roles in the operation.

For instance, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla were accused of conspiring with the ICC and Interpol in the “illegal implementation” of the foreign warrant.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año were also named as “principal directors” who allegedly cooperated in the operation.

Former PNP Chiefs Rommel Marbil and Nicholas Torre III face charges for exercising command responsibility over officers who allegedly executed an unlawful arrest and facilitated the former president’s transfer without a valid local warrant.

Torre was named as a respondent in his capacity as the director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, who supervised the operation. 

According to the complaint, Torre disregarded constitutional safeguards requiring a valid warrant of arrest issued by a competent Philippine court. His actions, including his refusal to allow Duterte access to legal counsel and medical care, as well as the forcible transfer to the Hague in the Netherlands, constituted unlawful deprivation of liberty. He also facilitated the commission of the other crimes in the process. 

Markus Lacanilao was named in the complaint in his official capacity as the Special Envoy for Transnational Crime. Lacanilao presented a certain document, purportedly an arrest warrant issued by the ICC authorizing the arrest of Duterte. He also participated in the actual arrest, detention, and expulsion of the former president. 

Executive director Anthony Alcantara was impleaded in his official capacity as the executive director of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crimes (PCTC). Alcantara also presented a document, purportedly an arrest warrant issued by the ICC.

Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon was named in his capacity as the prosecutor general of the National Prosecution Office of the Department of Justice. 

Brigadier General Jean Fajardo was implicated in her capacity as the PNP spokesperson who reportedly refused to provide information about the current location and the possible whereabouts of Duterte at the time of his arrest. She was also present at the Villamor Airbase.

John Doe and Jane Doe, the pilots of the aircraft with plane tail number RP-C5129 that brought Duterte to the Hague, were also named in the complaint, as well as the owner of the Gulfstream G550 Jet. 

The younger Duterte’s legal team, consisting of the Law Firm of Torreon and Partners, Tolentino & Associates, and Delgra Law Office, stated that the charges are based on detailed circumstances outlined in the affidavit and supporting documents.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Remulla, in a press conference, dismissed the new complaint as “forum shopping,” accusing the mayor of using the case to block his application for Ombudsman further.

Photo courtesy of Israelito Torreon

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