Jamaine Punzalan

Davao City 1st District Rep.  Paolo "Pulong" Z. Duterte  attends the opening session of the 20th Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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20th CONGRESS- OPENING SESSION

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176481369252520250728-20th-congress-paolo-duterte-JC0244.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Davao City 1st District Rep.  Paolo &quot;Pulong&quot; Z. Duterte  attends the opening session of the 20th Congress at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA <strong>(2nd UPDATE)</strong> — Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte has declined the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) request for him to appear in its inquiry on alleged flood-control irregularities in his district, saying the body lacked jurisdiction over members of Congress.</p><p>In a Facebook post, Duterte’s office said he asserted that the commission was part of the executive branch and cannot summon a member of the House, given the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers.</p><p>“The ICI appears without power nor jurisdiction over me,” Duterte said in a letter addressed to ICI Chair Andres Reyes Jr., as quoted by his office. </p><p>According to the executive order creating the ICI, the panel has the power to “hear, investigate, receive, gather, and evaluate evidence, intelligence reports, and information” on potential corruption in infrastructure projects.</p><p>It is also authorized to &quot;issue subpoenas for attendance of witnesses and production of documents necessary for its fact-finding and investigation activit<strong></strong>ies.&quot; </p><p>Several lawmakers, including Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila De Lima, have however stressed the need for a law <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/7/marcos-urged-to-certify-as-urgent-bill-giving-ici-more-teeth-1342">to give the panel full subpoena and contempt powers</a>.</p><p>Rep. Duterte accused the commission of issuing a “vague and ambiguous” invitation that lacked factual and legal basis. </p><p>“Absent any particulars or details of matters in the possession of ICI, it is part of due process, fairness and respect,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;POLITICAL PROPAGANDA&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The lawmaker, who is the brother of Vice President Sara Duterte, said he views the ICI as the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s “tool” for “political propaganda” and “harassment” against their family.</p><p>The ICI has so far focused on infrastructure projects in Bulacan and in Oriental Mindoro.</p><p>Duterte urged the ICI to instead look into the allegations made by former House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Zaldy Co — a former Marcos Jr. ally — in videos posted online.</p><p>The Sandiganbayan has issued arrest warrants for Co and several others in relation to the infrastructure scandal, but the resigned Ako Bicol representative remains at large.</p><p>Rep. Duterte said he believes the president created the ICI “to save himself, his family, ex-Speaker Romualdez and ilks, and provide a diversion cover up for their misdeeds.”</p><p>Last Tuesday, ACT Teachers Party-List submitted a formal letter to the ICI, asking the body to investigate alleged red flags in P4.4 billion worth of flood control projects in Davao City from 2019 to 2022.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>TINIO: A GENERAL DENIAL IS NOT ENOUGH<br/></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio, who has been looking into flood-control projects in Davao City, said Rep. Duterte must appear before the panel to answer questions on the projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/2/ici-urged-to-investigate-p4-4-b-worth-of-flood-control-projects-in-davao-city-1754"><strong>ICI urged to investigate P4.4-B worth of flood control projects in Davao City<br/></strong></a></div><p>Duterte has long said <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/9/paolo-duterte-claims-lawmakers-using-davao-city-p51-b-budget-as-diversion-1635">the district has nothing to hide</a> and that scrutiny of infrastructure projects in Davao City is politically motivated.</p><p>&quot;Hindi sasapat ang mga general denial. Humarap siya at sumagot sa mga tanong hinggil sa naging paggastos ng pondo ng bayan sa kanyang distrito,&quot; Tinio said Thursday.</p><p>(A general denial is not enough. He should face the ICI and answer questions on how public funds were spent in his district)</p><p>Tinio pointed out that Duterte had previously said he welcomed the investigation.</p><p>&quot;Wala ka lang palang sisiputan (In the end, you wouldn&#x27;t attend).&quot;</p><p>De Lima, a longtime Duterte critic who was jailed during President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s term, added: “Consistent din sila sa kanilang cowardice… Ano ba’ng itinatago nila?” </p><p>(They are consistent in their cowardice... What are they hiding?)</p><p>In a statement, Duterte told Tinio he did not back down, but instead refused to be part of a “scripted circus”.</p><p>“Hindi ako umatras. Umayaw ako sa palabas... I don’t run from real investigations.. I only refuse to be part of a scripted circus pretending to be one,” Duterte said.</p><p>“Huwag mo akong turuan ng tapang, habang nasa propaganda committee ka rin sumasayaw. My record is open. My conscience is clean. At hindi papagamit sa political dama ng kung sinu-sino,” he added.</p><p>House Committee on Public Accounts Chairperson Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro party-list acknowledged that Duterte has the right to refuse the ICI invitation. </p><p>He added that by refusing to appear before the panel, &quot;I think [Duterte] will have waived his right to respond to the ICI on the matter.&quot;</p><p>The ICI sends its recommendations and findings to the Office of the Ombudsman for preliminary investigation and to determine if cases should be filed in court.</p><p>“I guess, for the record, it will only be him to date, who has declined an invitation to the ICI,” Ridon added. <strong>— with a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</strong></p>

<p>Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte has declined the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) request for him to appear in its inquiry on alleged flood-control irregularities in his district, saying the body lacked jurisdiction over members of Congress.</p>

Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte has declined the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) request for him to appear in its inquiry on alleged flood-control irregularities in his district, saying the body lacked jurisdiction over members of Congress.

Paolo Duterte declines ‘vague, ambiguous’ ICI invitation

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Paolo Duterte declines ‘vague, ambiguous’ ICI invitation

ABS-CBN News

Published December 04, 2025 10:03 AM PHT

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Updated December 04, 2025 02:53 PM PHT

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