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Paolo Duterte Blasts Romualdez 'State Witness' Talk: 'Biggest Joke Of The Century'
FILE
Davao City Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte fired off a blistering statement on Monday, Oct 13, dismissing reports that Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez could be tapped as a “state witness” in the ongoing flood-control corruption probe — calling the idea the “biggest joke of the century.”
In a combative, conversational release, Paolo Duterte mocked the logic behind the move and questioned who exactly would be expected to testify against whom. He wrote that asking Romualdez — “the one sitting at the top of the funding chains” — to become a witness “is like a crocodile volunteering to testify against other crocodiles — but only after they’ve finished eating off the river.” He went on to say in Tagalog, “Ang magnanakaw, gusto pang maging testigo sa sarili niyang nakawan.”
Duterte didn’t stop there. He slammed what he called the administration’s attempt to “cover up” large-scale corruption, accusing officials of turning investigations into farces and letting suspects remain free — even singling out Zaldy Co., whom he said authorities allegedly “wanted to answer for these fiasco and yet they do not even lift a finger in canceling his passport.”
His statement mixed sarcasm and outrage, warning that the nation risks becoming an international joke if alleged masterminds aren’t made to answer. “The ship is sinking, and it is sinking fast…but the culprits cannot be made to answer because they are in power…something must be done and done fast or else there would be nothing left for the generations to come,” he wrote.
Paolo Duterte’s remarks come amid intensified public and legislative scrutiny of flood-control projects and the contractors and officials linked to them. Several hearings and witness accounts in recent weeks have named figures tied to the contracts, prompting debates over transparency, accountability, and whether investigations are being handled fairly.
As the probe continues, Duterte’s statement adds fuel to an already heated national conversation about who is responsible — and whether the system is willing or able to hold powerful actors to account.
In a combative, conversational release, Paolo Duterte mocked the logic behind the move and questioned who exactly would be expected to testify against whom. He wrote that asking Romualdez — “the one sitting at the top of the funding chains” — to become a witness “is like a crocodile volunteering to testify against other crocodiles — but only after they’ve finished eating off the river.” He went on to say in Tagalog, “Ang magnanakaw, gusto pang maging testigo sa sarili niyang nakawan.”
Duterte didn’t stop there. He slammed what he called the administration’s attempt to “cover up” large-scale corruption, accusing officials of turning investigations into farces and letting suspects remain free — even singling out Zaldy Co., whom he said authorities allegedly “wanted to answer for these fiasco and yet they do not even lift a finger in canceling his passport.”
His statement mixed sarcasm and outrage, warning that the nation risks becoming an international joke if alleged masterminds aren’t made to answer. “The ship is sinking, and it is sinking fast…but the culprits cannot be made to answer because they are in power…something must be done and done fast or else there would be nothing left for the generations to come,” he wrote.
Paolo Duterte’s remarks come amid intensified public and legislative scrutiny of flood-control projects and the contractors and officials linked to them. Several hearings and witness accounts in recent weeks have named figures tied to the contracts, prompting debates over transparency, accountability, and whether investigations are being handled fairly.
As the probe continues, Duterte’s statement adds fuel to an already heated national conversation about who is responsible — and whether the system is willing or able to hold powerful actors to account.
Oct 14, 2025
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