TACLOBAN CITY - Northern Samar First District Rep. Paul Daza vehemently denied any link to alleged corruption in public works projects based on reports submitted by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to President Duterte.
"My inclusion in the PACC report fed to President Rodrigo Duterte is baseless and malicious. I deny in the strongest sense any attempt to besmirch my name," he said.
At least eight incumbent representatives and one former legislator were named by President Duterte for their alleged links to anomalous projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He likewise ordered the relief of over a dozen district engineers.
The President clarified that the inclusion of the legislators and engineers in the PACC list does not automatically constitute evidence nor prove that they are guilty of the accusations thrown against them.
He added that making their names public does not mean condemnation as he only felt the need to identify them because everyone “has the right to access information.”
Rep. Daza believes that his inclusion in the list stemmed from a "malicious complaint" filed before the PACC by his local opponents.
"Records and history will show that it was my office who exposed former elected officials and contractors for abandoning projects. Because of my call for an investigation, I believe no less than six of them have already been blacklisted by the DPWH recently," the solon said.
"It will make sense for these erring former elected officials and contractors to send malicious and unfounded complaints to PACC in retaliation to their blacklisting and the punitive action taken against them."
The other lawmakers accused of alleged corruption are Josephine Ramirez Sato (Occidental Mindoro), Alfredo Paolo Vargas (5th district of Quezon City), Deputy Speaker Henry Oaminal (Misamis Occidental), Alyssa Sheena Tan (4th district of Isabela), Angelina Helen Tan (4th district of Quezon province), Eric Yap (ACT-CIS), Geraldine Roman (first district of Bataan), and former lawmaker Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao).