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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Mindanao devider Rep. Paolo Duterte slams House panel for diverting flood control probe to Davao

Rep. Paolo Duterte slams House panel for diverting flood control probe to Davao

Published Sep 9, 2025 05:22 pm
DUTERTE
DUTERTE
DAVAO CITY – Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte on Tuesday, Sept. 9, slammed the House infrastructure committee for diverting their investigation on anomalous flood control projects to the P51-billion infrastructure allocation for his district during the term of his father former President Rodrigo Duterte. 
“What kind of hearing is this?” Rep. Duterte said in a statement, reacting to the sudden shift in questioning in the committee’s inquiry. 
The Davao City lawmaker noted that Department of Public Works and Highways officials admitted giving payola to certain government officials, but other lawmakers raised issues about his district’s budget instead. 
Rep. Duterte specifically criticized Rep. France Castro of the Makabayan bloc and Rep. Joel Chua of Manila, saying they used the Duterte family and Davao City as diversions to cover up irregularities involving other officials. 
“Corruption is right before you, but you still keep looking for Duterte,” he said. “Stop dragging my family to cover up your mess. Focus on the real issues—flood control anomalies, payola, and the officials who admitted they bribed.” 
Rep. Duterte challenged Congress members to disclose their budget allocations and show projects in their districts. “Let the people see who really serves and who steals,” he said, adding that all projects funded under the P51 billion for Davao were “visible, built, and used by the people.” 
He also questioned why the committee has not pressed other controversies, such as congressional insertions in the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Labor and Employment, alleged billions lost in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., and issues surrounding the Maharlika Investment Fund. 
“I never meddled in budget hearings in Congress. I have delicadeza,” Rep. Duterte said, hinting at a conflict of interest among House leaders. 
Rep. Duterte further asserted that Davao “has nothing to hide,” noting he once sought the removal of a DPWH regional director over right-of-way corruption. 
DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral said at the hearing that around P51 billion was allocated to Davao City’s congressional district in 2020, 2021, and 2022—during the final term of former President Duterte—sparking questions on supposed “favoritism” in infrastructure funding.
Chua began his questioning of Cabral by citing a 2024 Politiko report, which she affirmed, stating that Rep. Duterte’s district received P51 billion in allocations from 2020 to 2022—a period he pointed out coincided with the height of the pandemic.
The DPWH official initially said she would check their records first. “I have to check, Your Honor, because I am not certain of the number in the published news of Politiko.”

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