NBI May Summon Senator Cayetano Over Alleged 2019 SEA Games Anomalies

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is considering issuing a subpoena to Senator Alan Peter Cayetano over alleged irregularities in the country's hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), the agency said Monday. Cayetano chaired the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC). "Based on our study, documents have reached us showing what actually happened there—he was appointed as interim chairman by the POC. But the instruction to him was to immediately incorporate PHISGOC. So that was incorporated... But he's not part of the board of directors. So he can no longer [act] as a board. What should have happened is that the established PHISGOC would elect their set of officers. So that's the question there, that's what needs to be explained," NBI Director Melvin Matibag told reporters. "How can you be the chairman when you're not even a member of the board? Secondly, if you acted as chairman when you are not really the chairman, that is an ultra vires act... Because anything that is being done by a corporation, whether it's an NGO or not, should be through a board resolution," he added. The NBI is investigating the allegedly anomalous procurement of projects connected to the SEA Games after receiving new information and documents involving PHISGOC. Among the projects under scrutiny are the sports facilities built for the games at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. EXPLAINER: Why is the NBI probing the 2019 SEA Games sports complex? After the NBI said that it will be investigating the matter, Cayetano said the probe was meant to intimidate him. “I’ll repeat what I said when I was Senate President---Director, hindi mo kami natibag (you failed to break us). So, ‘wag mo try tibagin itong representation na ‘to o itong (don’t try to do it again to this representation or to this) impeachment court because what you’re doing is not helping," the Senate Minority Leader said. In a Facebook live, Cayetano referred to Matibag as a "minion," the yellow, capsule-shaped characters serving as henchmen to the protagonist of the animation film franchise, "Despicable Me." But Matibag brushed off Cayetano's remark, saying that he will not take "offense at the label, nor will it be answered in kind." Further, Matibag noted that he received reports that PHISGOC's office in Taguig City "is not functioning as a normal office, it's just a virtual office." "Ang malinaw dito na binabanggit namin is 'yung sa PHISGOC, 'yung mga unliquidated na expenses, sa rental. Just to give you something, in 2023, may binayaran pa sila na rental na mga P300 million," the NBI director said. GMA News Online reached out to Cayetano's camp for a comment on NBI's latest statements. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/AOL, GMA News