"Show Us the Proof": Palace Dares Paolo Duterte to Back Up Davao's Flood Control Claims

Malacañang dared Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte to produce documents proving that flood mitigation structures in his district actually exist, after he disputed the Office of the Ombudsman's characterization of Davao City as the "epicenter" of anomalous flood control projects.

Ombudsman: Davao's "Ecosystem of Corruption" Hard to Penetrate

The Palace's challenge came after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, testifying at a House committee on appropriations hearing, said the "ecosystem of corruption" in Davao City is difficult to crack because many people refuse to speak out. Remulla said the city had been the "epicenter of flood control" activity even before President Marcos took office in 2022.

Duterte Pushes Back, Points to Luzon Flooding

Duterte disputed Remulla's claim in a social media post, saying the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Davao region had given him a copy of the list of completed projects from 2020 to 2022. He argued that flooding in parts of Luzon had yet to subside and appeared worse than in Davao City, and called for an investigation into what he described as anomalies — insisting that "political narratives" should not be used as a shortcut to reach conclusions.

Palace: "He Should Have Done It Before"

Palace Communications Officer Claire Castro said Duterte's documents, if produced, would help determine whether flood control projects in Davao City actually exist.

"He volunteered, he claimed to have documents to prove that the flood control projects have been completed. He should have done it before."

— Claire Castro, Palace Communications Officer, at a media briefing

Castro noted that Duterte had ignored a summons from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the panel Marcos formed in 2025 to investigate questionable infrastructure projects carried out over the past decade.

"He did not submit any statement or document... the documents he is saying will help us determine whether the flood control projects carried out in Davao City are not just documents or are non-existent. A document is different from something that can be seen, felt and can help resolve the flooding problem."

— Claire Castro

Castro added that the national government is assisting all flood-affected areas, including Davao City.

Recto: P7.2-Trillion Budget Has No Discretionary Funds

In a related development, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto assured the public that the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for next year contains no discretionary funds.

"All the items listed there have a program of work. For example, the DPWH, all the items there have documents, all of them have programs."

— Executive Secretary Ralph Recto

The exchange adds to mounting scrutiny over flood control spending nationwide, with the Palace now effectively putting the ball back in Duterte's court to substantiate his claims with hard evidence rather than social media posts.