MANILA, Philippines – The controversies that marred the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) are being brought to the fore again.
Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Melvin Matibag on Wednesday, July 15, said the agency will investigate the organization of the regional national exhibition, whose organization was chaired by Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, regarding alleged irregularities involving billions of government funds.
“This is not because of new interests. It happened that there were documents that came that will lead us to investigate. Whenever any issue related to corruption is brought to us, even ordinary cases, we will investigate. It happened this is a controversy,” said Matibag in a mixture of Filipino and English.
“Once and for all, we want to settle the matter by deciding whether or not anyone should be held accountable.”
Cayetano questioned the timing of the announcement of the investigation as it came a few days before Matibag testified on Tuesday, July 21, in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
SEA Sports Issues
Cayetano’s position as chairman at the time Organizing Committee for the Philippine Southeast Asian Games (Phisgoc), a private institution of sorts tasked with managing the Philippines to organize the biennial conference, it raised concerns because he still had positions in the government at that time.
He was the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) when Phisgoc was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a “non-stock, non-profit organization” in June 2018 and was the Speaker of the House of Representatives when the SEA Games were held from November to December 2019.
Rappler’s report dived in way of money which showed the P6 billion in funds for the SEA Games followed Cayetano from his days as DFA chief to the Philippine Sports Commission, which gave the money to Phisgoc under tripartite agreement that also involved the Philippine Olympic Committee.
The money included a cauldron budget of 50 million used to light the torch of the SEA Games, a. cost investigated which Cayetano defended, saying the structure designed by the late National Architectural Artist Francisco Mañosa and built outside the New Clark City Athletic Stadium in Capas, Tarlac, was “a work of art.”
Of the P6-billion fund, P1.5 billion was transferred to Phisgoc as “financial support” and it did not go through public bidding.
According to Matibag, the investigation will include 10 billion shillings given to a Malaysian company which he claimed was paid for by inclusion in the General Fund Allocation Act and was unlimited.
The Basic Transformation and Development Authority (BCDA) stepped in P11-billion joint venture agreement and Malaysian company MTD Capital Berhad to build sports facilities in New Clark City, which included an athletic field, aquatic center, and athletes’ village, for the SEA Games.
Despite its beginnings negative feedback regarding the plan, the Office of the Attorney General of Government Agencies confirmed several months later that the terms of the executed joint venture agreement were “in compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations.”
Matibag said the complaint against Vince Dizon, former BCDA president and chief executive officer who now serves as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Other errors marred the SEA Games, including incomplete sites at the start of the competition and issues surrounding the travel and accommodation of participating athletes.
The NBI, Matibag said, has created a task force consisting of a financial investigation unit and a special enforcement unit that will investigate the matter in coordination with the SEC, BCDA, and the Commission on Audit.
Former Phisgoc members Ramon “Tats” Suzara, Dexter Estacio, and John Lester Buenconsejo are set to be booked by the NBI, as revealed by Matibag on Friday, July 17.
Matibag said Suzara, and not Cayetano, was listed as the chairman and president of Phisgoc in documents obtained by the NBI from the SEC. Estacio and Buenconsejo held the positions of chief financial officer and corporate secretary, respectively.
Why now?
Cayetano on Wednesday slammed Matibag for announcing the investigation, saying it was a way to intimidate him in his position as judge-senator in the impeachment case.
“The horror effect is there. But am I afraid? I have no choice. I will fight this. I will do what I have to do,” Cayetano said in a mixture of Filipino and English.
“Go ahead and investigate. First of all, that has been investigated many times.”
Cayetano maintained that there was nothing wrong with the country’s hosting of the SEA Games, and expressed his dismay that members of minorities are being targeted.
Few senators of the bloc Jinggoy Estrada and Marcoleta’s wheel have been arrested due to cases of corruption and looting, while Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa he has been in hiding after successfully evading the arrest warrant of the International Criminal Court.
“Is it unfair to me and unfair to the court that when he is about to be called, he tries to threaten me? Do you expect me not to question you on (Tuesday) just because you announced that you are investigating me?” said Cayetano.
“They’re taking us out. They’re going after us one by one.”
Cayetano’s sister and fellow senator, Pia Cayetano, supported her younger brother.
“I have doubts. There is no power in the world that allows a judge to be pressured and intimidated. And I ask each of you, my dear colleagues, will we allow this? Is this how things are now?” said the elder Cayetano on Wednesday.
“Is he trying to scare us into not asking him tough questions when he’s our resource person next week? I don’t know. But those actions are unacceptable, probably despicable.”
It’s not a threat
On Thursday, July 16, Matibag responded to Cayetano, saying the senator has nothing to fear if he is really innocent.
Matibag also denied claims that the investigation is a threat and said that the NBI is only following its authority.
“If there is no corruption, then you have nothing to fear. You are only afraid if you have something to hide. Isn’t that right?” said Matibag.
In addition, Matibag said the investigation is not related to the impeachment case, saying he has no knowledge of how the senatorial judges would vote.
“I will answer all the questions they want to ask to the best of my ability,” said Matibag.
“How can you say there’s a chilling effect? Has there already been news about who would vote to acquit or convict? Not yet. By this time, would I know if he would vote to convict or acquit?”
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said it “respects” the authority of the NBI to conduct the investigation.
“Although the NBI is an agency attached to the Department, it is given sufficient freedom to carry out its investigative functions as it deems appropriate under the law,” said the DOJ. – Rappler.com
