THE government is investigating CLTG Builders, a company owned by the father of Sen. Bong Go, for its links to the contractors at the center of a flood control bribery scandal, Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Thursday. “Today, we will start our investigation into the possible links of the CLTG corporation to the Discaya company starting in 2016 because it was the Discayas themselves who admitted before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that their business exponentially grew starting in 2016,” Dizon said. Based on that, Dizon said, he and Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla have agreed to conduct the investigation. Go denied knowing the Discaya couple and said he would fully cooperate in all proceedings to “get to the truth.” “I do not know the Discayas. I have nothing to do with them, and I do not care about their dealings,” Go said in a press briefing. “If they have done wrong, file charges against them — even if my relatives are involved. I am willing to be a complainant myself.” Dizon earlier said the probe centers on the partnership between CLTG Builders, owned by Go’s father, Diciderio, and St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp., owned by Pacifico Discaya. The joint venture reportedly won five government projects in the Davao Region amounting to over P816 million. The region is considered the political bailiwick of former president Rodrigo Duterte, under whom Go served as special assistant before becoming senator. CLTG represents Go’s full initials — Christopher Lawrence Tesoro Go. But Go maintained that he never used his position to influence public contracts nor gave any favors to his family’s business interests. “I have never used my position for personal gain. I do not interfere in any government transaction. I am a senator, not a contractor,” he said. He added that his father’s company ceased operations years ago. “Their last projects were in 2019. By 2022, they were officially retired. Long before I entered government, my family already had businesses. But I never intervened. I never gave them special treatment,” Go said. Dizon acknowledged he worked with Go during the Duterte administration, but he said “that’s all immaterial” because “any allegation of corruption needs to be taken to the end... and that is our job here.” “We will spare no one here. All those involved based on evidence will be held liable. It doesn’t matter whoever they are. It’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter if one is with the past or present administration,” he said. The DPWH chief said the Discaya couple had thousands of contracts dating back to 2016, opening them up to multiple counts of graft and malversation. “I am confident with our new Ombudsman that the first case that was filed by the DPWH, that’s the first case that will put the Discayas in jail and all those involved, especially in the 1st District of Bulacan,” he added. ICI Executive Director Brian Keith Hosaka said the Discayas had initially agreed to cooperate with the commission to obtain a “favorable recommendation from the commission as state witnesses.” The Department of Justice earlier classified the couple as “protected witnesses.” The Discaya camp, however, had a change of heart after they saw a media interview of ICI Commissioner Rogelio Singson, where he said that no one has yet qualified to be considered a state witness. Dizon said the Discaya couple would lose all chance of becoming state witnesses if they continued to refuse to cooperate with the government. “You know, they need to cooperate. If they don’t cooperate, they have to suffer the consequences,” the DPWH chief said. Earlier, Sarah Discaya confirmed that they had entered into a joint venture with the CLTG Builders, a company reportedly owned by Go’s father. Responding to reports that the Discayas may have invoked his name, Go said he had nothing to do with them and that he has long been a victim of “name-dropping.” “If my name or former president Duterte’s name is used, consider it denied,” he said. “People take pictures or claim connections for personal gain. That’s not new. But I have no involvement in any of these transactions.” Go also pushed back against suggestions that the couple were “protecting” him, calling the idea “absurd.” “If they are protecting me, then tell the truth. I’m the one urging them to tell the truth. Don’t cover up the issue. The real issue is corruption — the flood control and ghost projects,” he said. He appealed to other government officials and witnesses to come forward and cooperate with the investigation. “I urge everyone in government to tell the truth. You have nothing to hide. The people deserve the truth,” Go said. The senator recounted that during a recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, he himself had asked the Discayas about their business dealings. “I asked them directly: Do you have a joint venture with CLTG? They said yes. Were the projects completed and beneficial to the public? They said yes. So, I became interested,” he said. “If there are irregularities or substandard work, then file charges. I will even help.” Go said he respects the authority of the DPWH, the Ombudsman and the ICI to conduct their investigations, and expressed confidence that the truth will eventually come out. “I respect Secretary Vince Dizon, the Ombudsman and the ICI. They have their mandate. I am one with them in pursuing accountability,” he said. He also welcomed the possibility of being summoned by the ICI to testify. “No problem. I’m willing to appear and speak before them. I will tell the truth as I know it,” Go said. The senator, however, cautioned that the controversy should not be used to unfairly drag down those who have no involvement. “Please, do not smear others to protect the guilty. Do not twist the truth. Let’s stay focused on finding out who benefited from these ghost projects and flood control anomalies,” he said. Link to Dutertes Vice President Sara Duterte, meanwhile, said she believes that she and her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, could be implicated in the flood control scandal due to their connection with Go, a staunch ally. During a press briefing on Thursday in Quezon City, Duterte said she had no flood control projects either at the Office of the Vice President or the Department of Education, which she used to lead. However, she said that she could be implicated in the flood control scandal because Go is an ally of her father. “I think they will try to implicate me because Sen. Bong Go is allied with former president Duterte, they will make stories involving me, the former president and Senator Go,” Duterte said.