Davao residents refute ‘ghost project’ allegations

Residents of Davao City have denied allegations of so-called "ghost projects" and claimed the accusations are an attempt to discredit the Duterte family.

The residents were reacting to claims made during House Committee hearings that sought to link the Dutertes to a contractor couple.

"In the past, whenever the weather was bad, we had to run to the church especially when the rains were strong. But after the construction of dikes and seawalls, we can now sleep peacefully at night," said Jarin Idao, a resident of the Muslim village in Matina Aplaya. "So how can there be ghost projects here? This is just slander."

Noria Sabai, another resident, added that after experiencing severe flooding in 2011, they can now walk without fear even when it rains because floods no longer reach their area.

The residents expressed resentment that their city's reputation for being a beautiful, tourist-friendly place is being tarnished. They said the projects mentioned in the House hearings, such as the Davao Coastal Road and the Maa-Magtuod Flyover, are well-built and free from corruption.

"Manong Pulong (Representative Duterte) is right -- corruption is right in front of the lawmakers investigating, yet they keep diverting the issue to Davao," a resident said. "Floods happen in Manila, but it’s Davao they want to scrutinize. Here in Davao, we know the Dutertes’ goodness and their honest service."