ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio has filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman urging an investigation into 80 out of 121 flood control projects in Davao’s 1st District over alleged anomalies.
In response, Davao 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte criticized Tinio and questioned why the lawmaker was allegedly focusing only on Davao City while larger corruption controversies were being discussed nationwide.
In a statement, Duterte said it was “deeply ironic” that Tinio was presenting himself as a critic of corruption and flooding issues in Davao while allegations involving flood control projects under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez were also being raised publicly.
Duterte questioned why Tinio was not filing complaints against engineers, contractors, and political figures allegedly linked to questionable flood control projects in other parts of the country.
He also cited records from the Department of Public Works and Highways Region XI showing approximately P49.84 billion worth of completed infrastructure projects in Davao City from 2020 to 2022.
According to Duterte, the projects included roads, drainage systems, bridges, and other public works that continue to benefit residents.
He further claimed that Davao City had received a “zero budget” allocation for four years.
Duterte also accused Tinio of engaging in politically motivated attacks against the Duterte family instead of focusing on issues involving teachers and education, which he said should be the priority of ACT Teachers Party-list.
The Davao lawmaker added that flooding is a national concern that requires long-term planning, engineering solutions, and inter-agency cooperation rather than political grandstanding.
