Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte (File photo from the Davao City Information Office)
DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines — Davao City First District Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte got fuming mad on Saturday after learning that his name had been used by some people for swindling.
In a press statement, Duterte said in Cebuano: “I will let them kneel in front of San Pedro Church for two nights, and then the appropriate charges will be filed.”
The lawmaker, the eldest son of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, made the comment after receiving information about a woman claiming to be an employee of his office and getting in touch with people who need medical assistance from the government through his office.
The report said the woman promised that she would be able to help secure P30,000 as medical assistance from Duterte’s office and that a tenth of the amount will go to the fixer.
Duterte ordered his office to report the case to the city police so that it could be put on the blotter. He also urged the public to report anyone claiming as an employee of his office and offering the same illegal services.
“If there is a similar incident, immediately report it to the congressional office through the mobile phone number 0966-751-0792,” he said.
There were reports in the past where the names of former President Duterte’s children with former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman were used by unscrupulous individuals to mulct unwitting victims.
In 2021, during the height of the call for now-Vice President Sara Duterte to run for president, some groups were reported to have used her name in the guise of raising funds for her candidacy, prompting her to deny it and issue warning to those behind it.
The vice president is the middle child among the children of former President Duterte and Zimmerman.
The youngest child, Sebastian, is the mayor of Davao City, replacing his sister in the 2022 elections when the latter decided to run for vice president.