Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte declined the request of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to appear in its inquiry on the alleged flood control project in his district.
According to Duterte, the commission has “no power nor jurisdiction” over him, citing that the constitutional separation of powers bars the ICI from compelling him to appear since it was created by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“I am a sitting member of Congress, considering that ICI is a creation of President Marcos Jr, per EO No. 94, the ICI appears without power nor jurisdiction over me,” Duterte said in his response letter to the commission.
“The constitutional separation of powers bars ICI, which is part of the Executive branch, from including me in your executive mandate. Your power is purely limited to the executive branch,” he added.
The congressman further said the invitation was vague and ambiguous due to the lack of factual and legal basis, stressing that “it is part of due process, fairness and respect.”
Duterte argued that the Executive branch can gather sufficient information through relevant agencies such as the DPWH, DBM, DOJ, DENR, CICT, PCAB, and DTI.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio recently called for the ICI to probe around 80 flood control contracts amounting to ₱4.4 billion in Davao City from 2019 to 2022.
Duterte noted in his letter that he was not a member of the House Appropriations Committee during those years and was therefore not in a position to answer their queries.
The lawmaker, who is the eldest son of former president Rodrigo Duterte, also said the ICI should investigate President Marcos Jr., his family, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, citing allegations raised earlier by former congressman Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co.
“Most especially flood control and other infrastructure projects in Region I and VIII from 2022 to 2025, and incidentally all projects prior thereto from 2000 to 2025,” he said.
“It is my impression that the ICI was created by President Marcos to save himself, his family, ex-Speaker Romualdez and ilks, and provide decision cover up for their misdeeds,” he added.
He further claimed that he viewed the ICI as a tool for the President’s political propaganda to weaken or destroy the Duterte family ahead of the 2028 national and local elections.
The ICI earlier said that Duterte and House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos were among the lawmakers invited this week as resource persons in the ongoing flood control investigation.
Duterte previously said he was open to the commission’s probe.
Following Duterte’s refusal to attend, ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio criticized him, saying general denial was insufficient and urging him to face the commission.
“Bakit biglang dinaga si Pulong? Anyare sa ‘I welcome the investigation’ at ‘Wala tayong tinatago, Wala tayong kinakatakutan’? Wala ka lang palang sisiputan,” Tinio said.
(Why did Pulong suddenly get cold feet? What happened to ‘I welcome the investigation’ and ‘We are not hiding anything, we fear nothing’? You’ll just end up not showing up in the end.)
“Malakas ang loob niyang pumustura na walang anomalya sa kanyang distrito pero ngayong inaanyayahan siya sa aktwal na imbestigasyon, nagtatago siya sa wala sa lugar na pribelihyo bilang kongresista,” he added.
(He was bold in claiming there was no anomaly in his district, but now that he’s being invited to an actual investigation, he’s hiding behind an inappropriate privilege as a congressman.)