Davao City First District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte called on Friday for equal urgency in investigating alleged killings linked to the Duterte administration’s drug war and alleged corruption in multibillion-peso flood-control projects, saying the search for truth should cover all trails regardless of political implications.
Duterte said there was no issue with investigating alleged killings during the drug war, stressing that victims should be heard and those responsible for crimes should be held accountable.
“Truth is truth. Hindi puwedeng pili lang ang gustong hanapan ng katotohanan. Kung taxpayer-funded ang Truth Commission, then taxpayers deserve the whole truth not just the convenient parts,” Duterte said.
He said investigations into alleged drug-war killings should proceed when there are victims and alleged crimes that need to be addressed.
“Walang problema sa pagdinig sa mga kaso ng alleged killings. Kung may biktima, dapat marinig. Kung may krimen, dapat managot ang responsable. Finding the truth is laudable because truth is what sets people free,” he said.
However, Duterte questioned the level of urgency being given to the flood-control controversy, particularly allegations involving billions of pesos in public funds.
“Pero habang abala ang lahat sa paghahanap ng katotohanan tungkol sa drug war, nasaan ang parehong urgency sa flood-control corruption?” he said.
Duterte also questioned the focus of the Marcos administration’s flood-control investigation, claiming that greater attention was being placed on projects in Davao City while contractors with billions of pesos worth of projects in other areas, including Leyte and Ilocos, also warrant scrutiny.
“As of today, the Bangag government is more focused on investigating Davao flood-control projects kesa dun sa lugar ng mga congtractors na may bilyon-bilyong proyekto tulad ng Leyte at Ilocos,” he said.
He said a comprehensive investigation should go beyond identifying officials who signed project documents and trace the movement of public funds and the people who may have benefited from questionable transactions.
“Kung Truth Commission tayo, bakit parang may truth na naka-fast track at may truth na naka-pending? Bilyun-bilyong pera ng taxpayers ang pinag-uusapan. Projects na dapat proteksyon sa baha ang pinagdududahan. At ang dapat nating hanapin ay hindi lang kung sino ang pumirma sa papeles, kundi saan napunta ang pera, sino ang nakinabang, sino ang nag-utos, at sino ang nagprotekta,” he said.
Duterte stressed that his position was not against investigating the drug war but for pursuing investigations on all issues involving alleged wrongdoing.
“Hindi ko sinasabing huwag imbestigahan ang drug war. Imbestigahan lahat. Pero kung ang objective ay truth, then follow every trail not just the trail that is politically convenient,” he said.
The flood-control controversy has triggered investigations by government agencies and legislative bodies amid allegations of irregularities in the implementation and funding of infrastructure projects intended to protect communities from flooding.
Duterte said the public has reason to question the consistency of investigations when one issue receives greater attention than another involving billions in taxpayers’ money.
“Because kung ang isang Truth Commission ay sobrang sipag maghanap ng katotohanan sa isang isyu pero tila mas tahimik sa isang corruption scandal involving billions of taxpayers’ money, natural lang na magtanong ang publiko,” he said.
He said the issue should ultimately be about pursuing the complete truth rather than selectively investigating matters based on political considerations.
“Hindi naman kami takot sa katotohanan. Ang tanong, sino ang takot kapag buong truth na ang hinahanap?” Duterte added.
