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鈥檚 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 鈥淏ong鈥 T. Go. Mr. Duterte鈥檚 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.
鈥淥nce the bidding was won, the contractor suddenly changed the items agreed upon,鈥 he said in Filipino. 鈥淭hey forced the Philippine Navy to accept and favor the private contractor. When the Philippine Navy didn鈥檛 comply, they faced pressure.鈥
Mr. Trillanes said the state-of-the-art warships were downgraded to ordinary naval ships under Mr. Duterte鈥檚 watch.
Mr. Go in a statement called the allegations 鈥渞ehashed鈥 and 鈥渞ecycled.鈥 鈥淭his is a clear case of destructive politics and a sure sign of desperation out to malign me and the former President.鈥
Former presidential spokesman Herminio 鈥淗arry鈥 L. Roque, Mr. Duterte鈥檚 legal counsel, told 大象传媒 in a WhatsApp message he had not seen the complaint. 鈥 Chloe Mari A. Hufana
