Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo "Pulong" Duterte hit back at House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos over remarks on the alleged ₱51 billion worth of infrastructure projects poured into Duterte’s district during the last three years of his father’s presidency.

In a Facebook post, the young Duterte said that the DPWH Region XI had already clarified the ₱49.8 billion worth of projects in Davao City, all of which were properly accounted for.

"If only the gentleman from Ilocos were not blind and deaf to the clamor of our people — a clamor drowned by the influence of money and power — he would know that DPWH Region XI has already clarified the ₱49.8 billion worth of projects in Davao City. All are properly accounted for. I sincerely hope the same transparency can be shown in his own district," Duterte said in a statement.

"Walang ghost projects dito! Di ako naghahanap, pero ang taumbayan hinahanapan kayo ng resibo," he added.

Marcos earlier questioned the massive allocation, saying that Duterte was preoccupied with "looking for the ₱51 billion" instead of participating in House sessions.

Duterte said he had chosen to skip several House sessions not out of neglect of duty, but because he found the level of graft and corruption in Congress "unbearable," describing the atmosphere as one that "suffocates true public service."

The Davao lawmaker escalated his attack by linking Marcos to the controversies surrounding former Speaker Romualdez and Ako Bikol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co.

"Perhaps the gentleman’s time would be better spent in helping account for the trillions so expertly plundered and cartelized by his uncle, former Speaker Martin Romualdez, and by Congressman Zaldy Co, so that these may be returned to the national treasury where they rightfully belong," he said. "At kung tunay kang malinis, gentle-man, magpa hair follicle drug test kaya muna kayo ng daddy mo — huwag yung tago ha, gaya ng bff mo sa Davao."

Marcos, for his part, earlier reiterated that the leadership change in the House triggered by Romualdez’s resignation on September 17 in favor of newly elected Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, was decided after consultations with party leaders.

He also defended former Speaker Martin Romualdez’s resignation, describing it as a consultative move rather than the “corrupt cover-up” that Duterte had alleged.

“Baka style niya ‘yun noong anak siya ng pangulo, pero I can assure you that me, we are consultative with all the party leaders. Pwede mo silang tanungin. We met for plenty of weeks,” Marcos said.

"Kung nagpakita sana si Cong. Pulong rito sa trabaho at sa session, baka makikita din niya. But I’m sure he’s busy looking for the P51 billion that was spent in his district,” the young Marcos added.

The Davao congressman was absent during the House session on Wednesday, September 17, and therefore was unable to cast his vote in the election of the new Speaker.