Bong Go denies being protected by Discayas

Sen. Bong Go yesterday denied he was being protected by Curlee and Sarah Discaya, the contractor couple at the center of the investigation on anomalies in flood control projects.

- By MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Go was reacting to media interviews of Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla where he said that the Discayas were “protecting” the senator because of their shared business interests in infrastructure projects.

The Discayas announced yesterday that they would no longer cooperate in the investigation on the flood control controversy by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). They made the decision when it became apparent they won't qualify as state witnesses.

"Please do not make me a scapegoat after the Discayas backed out of cooperating supposedly because they were protecting someone," Go said at a press conference yesterday, calling Remulla's allegation "unfair." Go said he is willing to be a complainant against his own kin, if necessary, as he also urged the Discayas and other contractors to tell the truth about the scale of corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

The Duterte camp has pinned the blame for the flood control mess on the President's cousin former speaker Martin Romualdez and on resigned congressman Zaldy Co who was House appropriations committee chairman.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) earlier reported that two Go family firms-CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders and Supply - are the top contractors in the Duterte political turf, Davao City.