ACT Teachers Partylist representative Rep. Antonio Tinio questioned the “alarming anomalies” in the flood control projects in Davao City worth ₱4.35 billion. He said that of the 121 contracts worth ₱6.06 billion implemented from 2019 to 2022, 80 showed signs of irregularity, such as being ghost projects, overpricing, double funding, site relocation, and contracts without details.

These 80 projects are located in the first district of Davao City, where former president Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest son Paolo Duterte serves as congressman. From 2020 to 2022, Paolo secured ₱51.8 billion in allocations for his district, mostly for flood control. This amount is far greater than the usual ₱6-billion annual allocation for a congressional district.

“Our investigation found a pattern of irregularities that demands explanation and accountability,” Tinio said. This includes 54 out of 68 flood control projects along Davao River worth ₱2.65 billion, and 26 out of 28 projects along Matina River worth ₱1.70 billion.

The Makabayan investigation also found that of the 121 projects, 79 worth ₱4.07 billion came from congressional “insertions” and were not part of the original National Expenditure Program. All of these were allocated to the first district of Davao City.

The following anomalies were identified in these projects:

– two contracts awarded for the same project located in the same site

– two contracts awarded to different contractors for the same project (double allocation)

– nine contracts implemented outside their original site, relocated to smaller locations, and overpriced materials

– 62 contracts worth ₱3.44 billion lacked crucial details such as location and length, making them unverifiable

– 10 contracts worth a total of ₱622.57 million were not itemized

The contractors who clinched these projects were companies closely associated with the Duterte family’s allies, if not with the Dutertes themselves. One of them is Rely Construction & Supply, which often partners with CLTG Builders owned by Bong Go’s father. Others include Legacy Construction Corporation and Abu Construction.

Also involved in these projects are St. Timothy Construction and Alpha and Omega Construction, both owned by the couple Discaya; Alfrego Builders, owned by Bong Go’s half-brother; and Genesis88, one of the companies that funded Sara Duterte’s 2022 campaign.