By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte criticized what he called “selective investigations” into flood-control projects, accusing government agencies of using probes for publicity while sparing other districts.
“If the government and independent agencies are truly serious about cleaning up flood-control projects, they should stop using investigations as props for publicity,” Duterte said.
He noted that in Davao City, investigators had already pored over documents, audits, and projects “down to the last nail,” but found no ghost or substandard undertakings. “You only exhausted yourselves to grandstand,” he said.
Duterte also questioned why the same level of scrutiny is not being applied to other large districts in the country. “When it comes to other big districts, suddenly there’s selective amnesia. What is that, are you allergic when the surname is powerful?” the lawmaker added.
The Davao solon called out the National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Ombudsman, and National Economic and Development Authority, saying their enthusiasm for probes seemed confined to Davao City.
“In other places, suddenly there’s no budget for fares and hotels? If you are truly anti-corruption, find a way. You have planes, you have a budget, you have a mandate — use them,” Duterte said.
He further warned agencies not to use Davao City as a “prop to showcase courage” while sparing other regions. He stressed that anti-corruption drives should be applied nationwide, “including areas that are difficult to touch.”
Duterte also swiped at projects under Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe, House Majority Leader, hinting at possible irregularities.
“You are already in Mindanao, why not also look into the projects of Cong. Dalipe, which I am sure are as polished as the expansion of his stomach,” Duterte said.
In another statement, Duterte revealed that his Ilocano friends contacted him and informed him that their congressman was “rushing” to fix allegedly defective infrastructure projects in their districts.
Duterte did not name the congressman. But seemed to be taking a swipe at House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos.
“Charice, hurry up before you get caught up washing the hands of your drugged-up father. At least use some of what was delivered to Aguado to finish those projects…” said Duterte in a Facebook post in Filipino.
He further demanded transparency from northern lawmakers. “My Ilocano friends, please show us receipts — we’re taxpayers here in Davao too,” he said.
Duterte capped his remarks with a satirical verse aimed at ghost projects: “Building is no joke, On projects left idle for three years, They could not rise, Because of the crocodile in power.”
The Davao lawmaker stressed that accountability and transparency should be enforced across all government projects, not only in select districts.
