DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 Sept) — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte criticized the election of Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy as the new House Speaker following the resignation of Rep. Martin Romualdez on Wednesday amid corruption allegations linking him to controversial flood control projects.
In a statement released to the media, Duterte said that the “corrupt system” remains despite the change of leadership in the Lower Chamber, as it was House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos who allegedly handpicked the successor of Romualdez, first cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He added that Dy, of the 1st District of Isabela, is the party mate of Sandro in the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas or PFP, implying that his rise to the speakership might be just another “cover-up move” after Romualdez and Ako Bicol Party list Rep. Zaldy Co, who is chair of the powerful Committee on Appropriations, were implicated in massive corruption controversy along with other lawmakers and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In his speech, Dy said that he would not coddle the lawmakers implicated in the corruption scandal.
He said that their duty as lawmakers is “not to protect each other” but to “protect the Filipino people.”
“Under my leadership, this House will change. I will not defend the guilty and I will not shield the corrupt,” he said.
The new Speaker has also pledged support to the President to rid the government of corrupt politicians.
“Gaya ng paninindigan ng ating Pangulo (Just like the commitment of our President), ‘no rank, no ally, no office will be spared from accountability,’” he said.
He also vowed to strengthen the oversight committee and fully cooperate with the Independent Commission of Infrastructure.
“I will be the first to admit to our fellow citizens that we have shortcomings. We humbly ask for your understanding and appeal to you to give us a chance to correct the flawed practices and cleanse our ranks. We sincerely ask that you give us another opportunity to regain your trust,” he said.
Duterte said the President should hold accountable the lawmakers implicated in the controversial flood control projects scandal if he were serious about fighting corruption.
“And let’s not pretend that in nearly four years as President, you knew nothing about the corruption in Congress. Your own son is the Majority Leader—didn’t he report anything to you? Don’t make it seem like you heard nothing and saw nothing about all the wrongdoing,” Duterte said in Filipino.
The lawmaker called on the DPWH to release a comprehensive list of projects in all districts.
“Enough with the deception. Stop the theatrics. If you want people to continue respecting you, then confront corruption head-on—no sacred cows, no cover-ups, no pretenses. If you can’t clean up your own ranks, then maybe it’s better we all just go home,” he said.
During an interview with reporters shortly after the session on Wednesday, the younger Marcos took exception to Duterte’s statement that Dy’s election was a cover-up for the corruption scandal, stating that party leaders were consulted and that Malacañang had no hand in the election of the new House leadership.
“Maybe that was his style back when he was still the President’s son. I can assure you that we are consultative with all party leaders. We met for plenty of weeks. If Congressman Pulong had shown up for work and attended the sessions, he might have seen it himself. But I’m sure he’s busy looking for the ₱51 billion that was spent in his district,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
