Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte has asked why it seems the government is only enthusiastic in its flood control investigations when the matter involves his home city, reiterating the absence of ghost projects under their watch.
Duterte on Tuesday asked why the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) why they seem to lack funds for accommodation and transportation when probing other areas.
‘NBI, CIDG, Ombudsman, NEDA – why are you only enthusiastic when probing Davao? But when it involves different areas, you lack the transportation budget and accommodation expenses. If you are really anti-corruption, find ways. There are planes, you have the budget, you have the mandate – use it,’ Duterte said in Filipino in a statement.
‘In Davao City, you scrutinized every area – papers, projects, audit until the last nail. The result? There are no ghost and substandard projects. You just grew tired of grandstanding. But when it comes to other areas, you have selective amnesia. What’s that, are you allergic to powerful surnames?’ he asked in Filipino.
Duterte, son of long-time Davao mayor and former president Rodrigo Duterte, said that the investigations of flood control projects should not be used as ‘props’ for publicity.
‘If the government and the independent agencies are really serious in terms of clearing flood control projects, they should stop using the investigation as props for publicity,’ he said in Filipino.
‘Do not use Davao as props just to show that you are ‘brave.’ If you will stand against the improper use of funds, do it for all regions – including areas that are hard to address,’ he added.
This is not the first time that the Dutertes have criticized the administration’s flood control project. Last August, Duterte’s brother and acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said in an interview with former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is turning calls for an investigation into a public relations stunt.
Instead of publicizing the investigations, Mayor Duterte said that the Chief Executive should file cases if he is serious.
In response, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. urged acting Mayor Duterte to ask his brother – Rep. Duterte – as to where the flood control funds for the city went and how it was used.
Abante said Rep. Duterte should know how flood control funds were used, noting that the city still experiences flooding despite huge allocations in the past.
Hours after Abante made this statement, Rep. Duterte maintained that projects allocated to his district were ‘properly implemented and completed.’
In response to Abante’s challenge, Duterte said that he is directing the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) district and regional offices to release the records.
‘On Benny Abante’s challenge to Mayor Baste Duterte regarding the flood control projects in Davao City, let me be clear, all projects allocated to my district are properly implemented and completed. If he really wants to know the exact figures, I am directing DPWH District and Regional Offices to provide him with the official data and amounts,’ Rep. Duterte said.
Furthermore, the Davao lawmaker said that the lawmakers should not mind floods in Davao as they subside – unlike in other areas which allegedly seem like swimming pools.
This is not the first time that floods in Davao City were highlighted by lawmakers. In August 2024, House members from the 19th Congress called out the Dutertes’ sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, for her criticism of the current administration’s flood response.