Davao City First District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte has formally declined an invitation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to attend its investigation into alleged anomalous flood control projects in his district.
Invitation Rejected, Separation of Powers Cited
In a statement released on December 4, 2025, the congressman firmly rejected the summons. Duterte asserted that the ICI, which he accused of engaging in political harassment, "has no power" to compel members of the House of Representatives to appear before it. He based this argument on the constitutional doctrine of the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government.
Duterte's Defense and Accusations
Duterte further explained that he would not be able to adequately answer the commission's questions because he was not part of the House Appropriations Committee from 2019 to 2022. This is the period under scrutiny for the alleged irregularities in the flood mitigation projects.
He emphasized that the executive branch, through its various departments, already possesses all necessary information. "The executive already has full access to needed documents and information through agencies like the DPWH, DBM, DOJ, DENR, DICT, and DTI," Duterte stated. He specifically named the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Justice, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Department of Trade and Industry.
"Malacañang need not look to Congress for matters involving projects under the Executive’s supervision," he added.
A Political Weapon Against the Dutertes?
The lawmaker did not mince words in characterizing the probe's motives. He accused the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of using the ICI as a tool for political targeting. "The Marcos administration is using the ICI as a political weapon to divert attention away from its own controversies by targeting me and Vice President Sara Duterte," Duterte claimed in his statement.
This refusal sets the stage for a potential constitutional and political clash, highlighting ongoing tensions between the administration and the influential Duterte family. The ICI's investigation into the multi-billion peso flood control projects, intended to protect Davao City's first district, now faces a significant hurdle with the non-cooperation of the district's representative.
