Trillanes files new plunder complaint vs Duterte, Go

FORMER senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday filed a second plunder case before the Department of Justice against former president Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Bong Go in connection with the alleged anomalous implementation of the P16-billion Philippine Navy (PN) Frigate acquisition project.

Also named respondents were former defense undersecretary Raymundo Elefante, ex-budget and management undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, former PN chief Adm. Robert Empedrad and other private individuals.

Interviewed by The Manila Times via Viber, Trillanes said the complaint was based on the information gathered from the investigation conducted by the Senate in 2018 as well as testimonies from officials privy to the alleged manipulation done by Duterte and Go to favor a private contractor.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV

As a background, the Aquino administration initiated the procurement of two state-of-the-art frigates for the Navy.

After a lengthy bidding process, the contract was signed just before the Duterte administration assumed office, Trillanes said.

However, the controversy started when senior officers of the PN questioned the contractor's proposal to change the brands of some equipment, particularly the Combat Management System, to be installed in the frigates to more inferior and, therefore, much cheaper brands, which was in violation of the terms of reference (TOR) of the signed contract, he said.

Advertisement

«Then PN Flag-Officer-In-Command Vice Admiral Ronald Mercado demanded that the contractor follow the contract to the letter, which resulted in a stalemate in the implementation,» Trillanes said.