Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte alleged that certain officials are pressuring lawmakers to support the impeachment case against his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, by threatening to strip funding from their districts.
Duterte said a certain “Charise” had been calling congressmen, warning that their districts could lose entire allocations under the General Appropriations Act, including funding for irrigation, schools, roads, bridges and social services.
“Nagtatawag na daw ang mga staff ni ‘Charise’ sa mga chief of staff ng mga congressman na bumoto para sa impeachment kung hindi ay tatanggalin ang buong GAA ng kanilang distrito,” Duterte said.
He said the alleged move would directly impact constituents, especially in provinces that rely on national funding for basic infrastructure and services. Duterte described the situation as coercion and said it undermines democratic processes.
“The national budget is not a weapon. Hindi ito panakot. Hindi ito ginagamit para pilitin ang mga halal na kinatawan na sumunod sa gusto ng iilan,” he said.
Duterte questioned the use of public funds as leverage in political disputes, saying district budgets are intended for citizens and not for advancing political interests. He added that any impeachment effort should be based on evidence rather than pressure.
“If leadership is confident in its case, then let the evidence speak—not threats, not pressure, and certainly not the hostage-taking of public funds,” he said.
He also called on the public to remain vigilant, warning that using government funds as bargaining tools places citizens at risk. He said such actions could affect essential services and development projects if funding is withheld from districts.
