Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte denies allegations that he or his family received suitcases of cash delivered by dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr. He says the claims are untrue, describing them as “pure fiction” and “fairy tale concoctions.” Duterte’s lawyer filed an affidavit on his behalf with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), where the denial is presented under oath.
Alongside the denial, Duterte questions the NBI’s authority and whether his testimony is necessary. In separate comments, his camp argues that if investigators already treat Gracioso’s polygraph or lie detector results as credible, there would be no need to summon Duterte to “shed light” on the accusation. Different outlets report Duterte’s position from the standpoint of his affidavit filing as well as his procedural objections to the investigation and to the requirement for his appearance.
