MANILA — Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte has asked National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official Melvin Matibag and the agency to voluntarily inhibit themselves from investigating allegations made by Rodulfo M. Gracioso against him, members of his family, and other personalities.

In a statement, Duterte said his lawyers formally requested the inhibition, citing concerns over the impartiality and credibility of the ongoing investigation.

He clarified that the request was not intended to prevent authorities from investigating the allegations or evade accountability but to ensure that the proceedings remain fair and impartial.

Duterte raised three grounds for seeking Matibag’s withdrawal, beginning with what he described as prejudgment of the allegations.

He claimed that Matibag publicly characterized Gracioso’s accusations as supposedly “99% true” while the investigation was still ongoing, before later clarifying that the polygraph examination did not actually establish the truthfulness of the allegations against them.

The lawmaker also questioned why Gracioso’s affidavit had already been discussed and publicized in national media before his camp received a copy on October 5, 2026, following a formal request from his lawyers.

He said those facing accusations should be given a fair opportunity to examine the allegations and respond before conclusions are publicly formed.

The third ground cited by Duterte was Matibag’s previous public engagements involving Vice President Sara Duterte, including his admission that he wrote three columns about her in 2024.

According to the congressman, these circumstances raise questions about Matibag’s ability to remain impartial in an investigation involving members of the Duterte family.

Duterte also invoked a previous case in which Matibag himself sought the inhibition of the Davao City prosecutor handling libel and cyberlibel complaints filed by the lawmaker against him and others.

Matibag had reportedly questioned the prosecutor’s impartiality because of an alleged family relationship with the partner of former President Rodrigo Duterte, arguing that this could undermine public confidence in the proceedings.

His request was granted, and the cases were transferred to the Region XI Prosecutor’s Office, according to the congressman.

Duterte said his camp respected Matibag’s position at the time and was now asking that the same standard be applied to the NBI official.

“If a perceived family connection was sufficient reason for Matibag to question the impartiality of a prosecutor, why should his own public statements and previous engagements against my family not be considered legitimate grounds to question his impartiality as an investigator?” he said.

The lawmaker maintained that the NBI should establish facts through evidence rather than public declarations, stressing that the credibility of an investigation depends not only on its findings but also on the impartiality of those conducting it.

“This is not about applying different standards to different people. It is about applying the same standard to everyone,” Duterte said.

“What is good for the prosecutor should also be good for the investigator,” he added.