Pulong Duterte declines ICI invitation

Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte on Thursday has declined the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) request for him to appear in its investigation regarding flood control projects.

Duterte posted parts of his letter sent to the ICI on his Facebook page where he said that "the ICI appears without power nor jurisdiction over me."

He also claimed that the invite was  "vague and ambiguous... Absent any particulars or details of matters in the possession of ICI."

GMA News Online has reached out to the ICI for comment but it has yet to reply as of posting time. 

Duterte, meanwhile, added that the Executive branch already has full access to needed documents and information through agencies like Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management, among other agencies.

“Malacañang need not look to Congress for matters involving projects under the Executive’s supervision,” Duterte said.

Duterte's statement comes just a day after he said he is open to the face the ICI's investigation.

“Una sa lahat, I welcome the investigation. Wala tayong tinatago, wala tayong tinatakbuhan, at wala tayong kinakatakutan.  Kung may imbestigasyon ang ICI, that is very much welcome,” Duterte said in a statement on Wednesday. 

(Firstly, I welcome the investigation. I have nothing to hide, I am not running away from anything, I not afraid of anything. If there’s an ICI investigation, that is very much welcome.)

“Mas maganda ngang imbestigahan – para makita kung saan talaga nanggaling ang problema at sino ang tunay na nakinabang. Para matapos na ang paulit-ulit na narrative na Duterte ang may kasalanan kahit saan ang anomalya,” he added.

(It is better to have an investigation – so that we can see where the problems are coming from and who truly benefited from it. So that the narrative that the Dutertes are to blame for anomalies will end.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News