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Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte on Tuesday, Sept. 9, pushed back after his name was dragged into the House infrastructure committee’s probe on anomalous flood control projects.
At the hearing, DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral confirmed that nearly ₱51 billion worth of infrastructure projects were allocated to Duterte’s district from 2020 to 2022, during the final years of his father former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
Cabral affirmed the figure after being pressed by Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, citing her earlier remarks in a 2024 Politiko report. “I remember, Your Honor,” Cabral said when asked if she confirmed the ₱51-billion allocation.
In a Facebook post later that day, Rep. Duterte denied meddling in congressional budget deliberations, saying he has always exercised “delicadeza.”
“Never ako nakialam sa mga budget hearing sa Kamara. Kahit tanungin niyo pa yung mga nagdaang Speaker. May delicadeza ako. Hindi kagaya ngayon na mismo magkakamag-anak ang naglalaro sa budget,” Duterte wrote.
He further alleged that raising Davao’s budget was merely an attempt to divert attention from corruption allegations against other House leaders.
“Balik niyo yan sa usapang Martin Romualdez at Zaldy Co para may maniwala sa inyo, InfraComm. Huwag n’yong gamitin ang Davao at ang pamilya ko para lang ma-divert ang isyu at mailihis ang tunay na korapsyon,” he added.
On Monday, contractor Curlee Discaya told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co allegedly received 25 percent commissions from flood control project budgets. Both Romualdez and Co have denied the accusations.
