Davao City Congressman Paolo Z. Duterte was pummeled with criticisms by a throng of anti-Duterte critics and political propagandists in all media platforms when he was caught on video accosting a person described to be a helpless businessman. The man was a good copy to add to the vilification campaign against the Dutertes and because it was election season the critics had a fiesta and like hungry vultures were feasting on the eldest son of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The few comments on the social media that the man with whom Congressman Duterte had an altercation with was a “bugaw”, meaning a pimp, were drowned in the magma of derogatory news and commentaries on the lawmaker. Perhaps encouraged by the support he is getting from the social media, politicians and religious sector, the said businessman, who was later identified as Kristone John Moreno proceeded to file formal charges against Duterte in the local court just a few days before the midterm elections.
On the part of Congressman Duterte, he issued a statement addressed to his constituents leaving his political fate to them to decide.
Rep. Polong Duterte won in his re-election bid by a landslide. But even before he can cross over to the 20th Congress, he must have a surprise of his life. His accuser is now an accused after the State Prosecutors filed charges against him for human trafficking in relation to his business in prostitution. It turned out that one of his clients and at least three women turned their vent on him and reported his crime to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group which caught him in flagrante delicto.
In a reversal of fortune, Moreno is set to be arraigned in the Regional Trial Court in Davao City on July 7, 2025.
