DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Davao First District Representative Paolo ‘Pulong’ Duterte has scheduled a foreign trip to 17 countries in the next two months, raising questions about his frequent trips abroad this year.
Duterte earlier requested from House Speaker Faustino Dy III for travel clearance for his trip to Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Singapore, scheduled from December 15, 2025 to February 20, 2026.
This is the same set of countries that he traveled from March 20 to May 20, following the detention of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, in the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.
The congressman said he will be using his personal money for his trips, but the Davao group Stand in Opposition to Plunder (STOP) Corruption Alliance said his frequent travels are a “disservice to the people”.
“Government officials must be prudent in their travels. We hope officials, such as legislators, can prioritize their work, such as legislation, over personal travels,” said Leo XL Fuentes, convener of the alliance.
Fuentes pointed out that records on the 20th Congress showed Duterte filed only one bill since June 2025.
The presidential son has been defiant against leaders in Congress, accusing them of being manipulated by President Marcos Jr. into probing him and his sister Vice President Sara on corruption issues.
Duterte’s foreign trips have raised questions in a column from Vera Files writer Antonio Montalvan:
“(A)re the Duterte family bank accounts safekept in these countries? If so, that must be a very long list of bank accounts. Is this the reason why the family can afford frequent trips to the Netherlands, not to mention expenses for shopping?
“Every week, there is always a Duterte family member in The Hague. Only a filthy rich family can afford that in the level of a tycoon with billions in the banks. The Dutertes are no tycoons as per their admission. Certainly not in their SALNs,” Montalvan wrote.(davaotoday.com)
<https://verafiles.org/articles/mr-speaker-disapprove-pulongs-new-world-tour>
