Tinio on Pulong Duterte’s foreign trips: Is he representing Miss Universe?

"Ano ba siya? Kinatawan ng distrito o Miss Universe?"

This was the question House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio asked after Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte asked for clearance to travel to 17 destinations in 16 countries.

In a letter confirmed by House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil to GMA Integrated News, Duterte  asked Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III for clearance to travel to the following countries from December 15 to February 20, 2026:

•  Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)
•  China
•  Malaysia
•  Indonesia
•  South Korea
•  Japan
•  Vietnam
•  Cambodia
•  United States
•  Australia
•  United Kingdom
•  The Netherlands
•  Germany
•  France
•  Belgium
•  Italy
•  Singapore

“Ang trabaho ng Congressman ay katawanin ang kanyang distrito. Dapat, mag-expect ang mamamayan ng mas mataas na standard na serbisyo mula sa kanilang mga elected representatives,” Tinio, the Act Teachers Party-list congressman, told reporters.

(The job of a congressman is to represent his district. The people should expect a high standard from their elected representatives.)

“Ang pinaka-basic, of course, ay pumasok sa Kongreso para magdala mo ang interest ng constituents, whether sa committee hearings or plenary,” he added.

(The most basic part of the job, of course, is to show up in Congress to push for the interest of your constituents. whether in the committee hearings or plenary.)

Flood control projects probe

Likewise, Tinio said Duterte’s request for a travel clearance covering a period of more than two months is suspicious given that he recently declined to face a Independent Commission for Infrastructure probe concerning flood control projects in his district.

"Kaduda-duda rin ang timing ng request dahil ito yung panahon na inaanyayahan siya ng ICI na sumagot ng ilang katanungan hinggil sa mga public infrastructure projects sa 1st District ng Davao. So hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa niya sinasagot ito sa alinmang forum," the party-list representative stated.

(The timing of the request is questionable because this is also the time when the ICI has been inviting him to answer its questions regarding the public infrastructure projects in Davao City's first district. He has still not answered in any forum.)

Duterte, in his request, said the travel expenses will come from his personal funds and that he is planning to attend sessions virtually while abroad.

Tinio countered this point, saying watching a session livestreamed over social media channels, including that of the House of Representatives, is not considered attending a plenary session.

“Under House rules, the House leadership sets the time and date of a virtual session, and it is only done in certain, including emergency circumstances. Attending a plenary session is not about watching it over YouTube, even if you are a member of the House,” he said.

Tinio called on the speaker of the House to reject Duterte's request.

"Nananawagan tayo sa Speaker na huwag naman pahintulutan yan kasi tingin din ng publiko, abuso ito. Pinapaswelduhan ang mga elected representatives bilang public servants. Tapos hindi maganda kung pahintulutan na may personal na lakad, ganoon ang paalam, personal na lakad sa panahong may session. May panahon dyan, bakasyon pero meron hanggang Pebrero. Meron nang session diyan. So hindi po magandang senyales sa publiko na pahintulutan ang ganitong paglalakbay, personal travels ng mga elected officials," he said.

(We ask the Speaker not to allow it, as the public sees it as abuse. Elected representatives are being paid to be public servants. It's not good to allow personal trips when the House is in session. There is a time for that, but the period he is asking for includes February, when there will be a session. It's not a good message to the public to allow these kinds of personal travels from public officials.)

One of the places that Duterte is planning to visit is the Netherlands where his father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, is incarcerated in connection with his crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court.

'He should make himself available'

House Infrastructure Committee co-chair Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list said Duterte is free to make such a request.

House Infrastructure Committee co-chair Terry Ridon on Rep Paolo Duterte’s request for travel clearance: Malaya naman siyang mag-request… Pero very important na he should be able to make himself available pagka nagkaroon ng proceedings. @gmanews @gmanewsbreaking pic.twitter.com/erBvgZD3MK

— Tina PanganibanPerez (@tinapperez) December 10, 2025

However, he added, Duterte should make himself available if authorities requires him to face a flood control project investigation regardless of where he is in the world.

“He should make himself available to investigative bodies such as the Office of the Ombudsman for any proceedings on infrastructure and flood-control projects in his district, and the same standard should apply to other district representatives in whose areas were found to have substandard projects,” Ridon, a lawyer, told GMA News Online.

“They, [including Congressman Duterte], may be required to provide immediate and direct information on the origination, planning, and implementation of these projects. Their participation in these proceedings is critical because, as we have seen, ghost and substandard infrastructure projects are unlikely to have occurred without the participation of legislators, DPWH officials, contractors, and other high-level executive officials,” he added.

 "For as long as the ICI subsists, it will be referred to the ICI. So katulad din yung binanggit ko actually, si Congressman Duterte rejected the invitation of the ICI. So our expectation with the ICI would be, talagang they will proceed on investigating Davao City projects even without him. And they will make the proper referral to the Ombudsman."

Both Tinio and Ridon flagged the flood control projects in the Davao Region, the bailiwick of the Dutertes.

Tinio said at least 80 contracts worth P4.4 billion in Davao City from 2019 to 2022 are marred with irregularities such as double funding, projects at different locations, and flood control project durations that are shorter than what was approved.

Ridon, on the other hand, said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) records have showed that 18 projects in Davao City and Davao Occidental were classified as “no structure” (two projects), “incomplete” (10 projects), “poorly situated” (three projects), and “unconstructed” (three projects).

Duterte has maintained that there are no ghost projects within his district. — BM, GMA Integrated News