A FORMER senator filed another corruption complaint before the Department of Justice on Wednesday against ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte and 11 others over the Philippine Navy’s P16-billion frigate acquisition project.
In a 50-page complaint, ex-Senator Antonio F. Trillanes said the Duterte government allowed changes to the contract that allegedly favored the private contractor.
Also sued was Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go. Mr. Duterte’s chief of staff.
He told reporters after filing the complaint that the contract to buy two frigates was signed under the late President Benigno S.C. Aquino III.
“Once the bidding was won, the contractor suddenly changed the items agreed upon,” he said in Filipino. “They forced the Philippine Navy to accept and favor the private contractor. When the Philippine Navy didn’t comply, they faced pressure.”
Mr. Trillanes said the state-of-the-art warships were downgraded to ordinary naval ships under Mr. Duterte’s watch.
Mr. Go in a statement called the allegations “rehashed” and “recycled.” “This is a clear case of destructive politics and a sure sign of desperation out to malign me and the former President.”
Former presidential spokesman Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Mr. Duterte’s legal counsel, told BusinessWorld in a WhatsApp message he had not seen the complaint. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
