DUTERTE
DAVAO CITY – Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte criticized members of the House of Representatives over the reported deletion of a fellow lawmaker’s manifestation from the chamber’s records.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Tuesday, Rep. Duterte described the move as a blow to transparency amid the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
He said 18 active-duty Marines had executed sworn testimonies claiming they witnessed suitcases filled with money delivered in connection with allegations tied to the impeachment case.
“These are not street rumors. These are not ‘fake news vlogs.’ These are sworn testimonies from service men,” Rep. Duterte said.
Rep. Duterte questioned the response of lawmakers implicated in the allegations, saying some had remained silent or issued denials “without substance.”
The lawmaker questioned the reported removal from the House journal of a manifestation made by Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay.
“Wow. Impressive. If you cannot answer the allegation, delete it from the record. Is that now the new standard of transparency?” Rep. Duterte said
The House Committee on Justice approved a motion to remove Rep. Suntay’s statement in connection with actress Anne Curtis from the official records.
This came amid the committee’s continued deliberations on the impeachment complaints against the Vice President. The hearing also discussed her attendance at rallies and her remarks about being a designated survivor.
Rep. Duterte suggested that striking the statement from the official record rather than addressing its contents undermined the chamber’s commitment to openness.
He likened the move to a student tearing up an exam paper after being caught cheating, instead of explaining.
The lawmaker argued that the impeachment complaint against Vice President Duterte should be based strictly on evidence and constitutional grounds, not on what he described as “alleged suitcases and backdoor transactions.”
Rep. Duterte called for a full investigation, saying those with “clean conscience” should welcome scrutiny rather than suppress discussion.
He also expressed support for the 18 Marines who reportedly executed affidavits, commending their willingness to speak out despite potential political pressure.
“It takes courage to speak against powerful politicians,” Rep. Duterte said, who also raised concerns about what he described as “billions and trillions” worth of alleged flood control anomalies, accusing unnamed officials of attempting to divert public attention.
“You can delete lines from the House journal, but you cannot delete questions from the minds of the Filipino people,” Rep. Duterte said.