FIRST District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte has challenged fellow lawmakers to bare their budgets and show the public the actual projects in their districts, following a House inquiry into the P51-billion infrastructure program in Davao City.
“Congressmen should not just talk. They should prove their work so Filipinos will see who is really serving the people and who is not,” Duterte said in a statement on September 9.
The lawmaker said that Davao has “nothing to hide,” adding that investigators are free to check records and inspect completed projects on the ground.
“Davao’s projects are built on solid ground. Makasulti ba mo ug pareho ana sa inyung mga distrito (Can you say the same in your districts)?” he asked.
On Sept. 10, Duterte repeated his call for transparency, urging lawmakers to publish their budget allocations and list all completed infrastructure, from roads and bridges to drainage systems and hospitals. He warned against projects that allegedly exist only on paper.
Duterte also pointed out that Mindanaoans are taxpayers, too, and deserve accountability in the national budget. He said the public deserves answers on questionable flood-control projects, which he noted are not just a Luzon issue but a national one.
‘Smear campaign’
The congressman accused the House Infrastructure Committee (InfraComm) of diverting attention away from corruption allegations against some officials by zeroing in on projects in Davao.
Duterte called out Manila Rep. Joel Chua for linking the P51-billion program during his father’s presidency. He called this a smear attempt against his family, recalling that he himself had pushed for the removal of a DPWH-Davao director over right-of-way issues.
“It’s been three years since our family has been targeted. Our children are already traumatized,” Duterte said, adding that former president Rodrigo Duterte is also facing cases at The Hague.
He admitted that his family is not perfect, but stressed they would not hide their mistakes. He added that if investigations must be done, these should be conducted properly and not turned into a circus.
He also questioned the Sept. 9 InfraComm hearing, saying it initially pressed DPWH officials about fund allocations but later shifted the spotlight to Davao’s flood projects. Duterte called out Manila Rep. Joel Chua for linking the P51-billion program to his father’s presidency.
Earlier, the House Infrastructure Committee (InfraComm) held a hearing on questionable flood-control projects across the country. The inquiry aims to uncover the truth amid reports that some projects were either substandard or nonexistent, yet still paid for by the national government.
At the hearing, DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral confirmed that ₱51 billion worth of infrastructure projects were allocated to Davao City’s first district during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, from 2020 to 2022.
Bigger issues to tackle
Duterte urged the public to check the backgrounds of lawmakers, especially those from the Makabayan bloc, and to scrutinize their local governments’ Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
"Naa na sa inyung atubangan ang corruption, pero Duterte gihapon inyong gipangita. What's wrong with this InfraComm? Panakip butas na naman pamilya namin sa inyo ring mga korupsyon (The corruption is already right in front of you, yet you keep going after the Dutertes. What’s wrong with this InfraComm? Once again, our family is being used as a scapegoat to cover up your own corruption)," he said.
The congressman said he never interfered in past budget hearings, even when previous House Speakers sought his involvement. He added that, unlike today, family members were not “playing around” with the budget.
He argued that if Congress is serious, it should also investigate anomalies in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), PhilHealth, and the Maharlika Fund instead of “twisting the story” and blaming his family. RGP
