Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte alleged on Friday that the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of congressmen will be scrutinized if they do not support the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In a statement on his Facebook page on Friday, May 1, Duterte suggested that renewed attention on SALN filings may not be driven by transparency efforts but by timing linked to political developments.

“May kumakanta na namang Tweety Bird. Ayon sa kanya, biglang naging uso ang SALN—hindi para sa transparency, kundi para sa timing,” Duterte said, adding that some members of Congress will become subjects of scrutiny if they do not “follow the script.”

(A Tweety Bird was singing again. According to the bird, SALN has suddenly become a trend—not for transparency, but for timing)

The lawmaker said that SALN disclosures could be used to influence decisions, particularly in relation to an impeachment vote.

“Kung totoo man ang mga kuwentong ito, mukhang may bago tayong sistema (If these stories are true, it seems we have a new system)—vote wisely… or we will look closely on your SALN,” he said.

Duterte described such a scenario as “accountability with conditions,” warning that it undermines the independence of elected officials.

The lawmaker also claimed that similar efforts may be taking place in the Senate, alleging that some individuals are focused on securing votes rather than addressing public concerns.

“Busy ang iba—hindi sa pag-aayos ng problema ng bayan—kundi sa pag-aayos ng boto (Some are busy—not fixing the country’s problems—but fixing the votes),” Duterte said.

He cautioned against treating political support as transactional, likening it to a commodity. “Sana hindi natin ginagawang grocery item ang konsensya (Let’s hope we’re not treating conscience like a grocery item),” he added.

Duterte emphasized that votes on impeachment should be based on principle and public mandate, not pressure or directives.

He said the vote on impeachment is not a raffle ticket, not an order, and certainly should not be a product of pressure. "It is a mandate of the people."

Duterte called on fellow lawmakers to uphold their responsibilities with integrity, stressing that elected officials are expected to stand by their principles rather than yield to behind-the-scenes influence.

“If there are those who will intimidate, there will also be those who will stand firm. And hopefully, in the end, it is not fear that prevails—but what is right,” Duterte said.

He urged legislators to listen to their constituents and consider the public interest in their decisions, particularly when government assistance and public funds are involved.