Metro Manila, Philippines – Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte on Tuesday slammed ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio over the latter’s complaint before the Ombudsman regarding alleged irregularities in flood control projects in Davao City.

In a statement, Duterte accused Tinio of being “selectively blind” for focusing on Davao projects while allegedly ignoring controversies involving the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“Flooding is a national problem requiring serious engineering, long-term planning, and cooperation among agencies — not grandstanding before cameras and carrying stacks of folders to create headlines,” said Duterte.

Duterte also defended infrastructure spending in Davao City, saying the Department of Public Works and Highways Region XI recorded around P49.84 billion worth of completed and “above-standard” infrastructure projects from 2020 to 2022, including roads, drainage systems, and bridges.

Earlier Tuesday, Tinio filed a complaint before the Ombudsman after conducting an independent investigation into 121 flood control projects along the Davao and Matina Rivers from 2019 to 2022.

Tinio’s team flagged at least 80 contracts amounting to P4.44 billion over alleged irregularities, including overlapping projects, double funding, contracts without specifications, incomplete projects, and projects allegedly lacking authorization under the General Appropriations Act.

Tinio said 49 of the red-flagged contracts were congressional insertions concentrated in Davao City’s 1st District, while the top contractor, Genesis88 Construction Inc., allegedly received 10 contracts worth P713 million.

“These incomplete flood control structures leave Davao City residents vulnerable to deadly flooding,” said Tinio.

“The failure to deliver critical infrastructure — while contractors and officials potentially profit — may constitute criminal negligence,” he added.