Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Duterte maintained that there are no ghost projects in the city after Rep. Sandro Marcos said that Duterte has been absent frequently at the House of Representatives because he is busy looking for the P51 billion worth of projects in his district.

“Walang ghost projects dito! Di ako naghahanap, pero ang taumbayan hinahapan kayo ng resibo,” Duterte said in a Facebook post.

Duterte said the Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao (DPWH-11) has already clarified the P49.8 billion worth of projects in Davao City, which were all accounted for.

DPWH-11 said the allocation was utilized for 710 infrastructure projects with a significant share spent on big ticket projects.

Only P8 billion was allocated for flood control projects.

“If only the gentle-man from Ilocos were not blind and deaf to the clamor of our people — a clamor drowned by the influence of money and power — he would know that DPWH Region XI has already clarified the ₱49.8 billion worth of projects in Davao City. All are properly accounted for. I sincerely hope the same transparency can be shown in his own district,” Duterte said.

ABSENCE IN HOUSE

Marcos said Duterte is not updated on House affairs because he has been absent frequently.

He said this after Duterte alleged that it was he who chose Isabela Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III to replace Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as Speaker amid the controversy in government flood control projects and alleged budget insertions.

“Ngayon, pinalitan si Martin Romualdez, tapos si Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy daw ang ipapalit. Sino ang pumili? Walang iba kundi si Sandro Marcos — partymate sa Partido Federal, anak mismo ng Pangulo. Ano ‘to? Isa na namang cover-up move! Palit lang ng mukha pero parehong bulok pa rin ang sistema,” Duterte earlier said.

However, Marcos told reporters that all party leaders were consulted in the change of House leadership.

"Baka style niya ‘yun nung anak siya ng Pangulo. Pero I can assure you that... we are consultative with all the party leaders. Pwede mo silang tanungin. We met for plenty of weeks," Marcos said.

“Kung nagpakita sana si Cong Pulong rito sa trabaho at sa session, baka makikita din niya. But I'm sure he's busy looking for the P51 billion that was spent in his district,” Marcos said.

Duterte said he refrained from attending sessions regularly because of what he described as unbearable graft and corruption at the House.

“I have refrained from regularly attending sessions not out of neglect, but because the stench of graft and corruption has become unbearable within these very halls. It is an environment that suffocates true public service,” Duterte said.

Duterte also challenged Marcos and his father, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., to undergo a hair follicle drug test.

“At kung tunay kang malinis, gentle-man, magpa hair follicle drug test kaya muna kayo ng daddy mo — huwag yung tago ha, gaya ng bff mo sa Davao,” Duterte said.

(With reports from GMA News Online)