Ombudsman Orders Re-investigation of 2019 SEA Games Sports Facilities Case

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla has ordered investigators to take another look at the alleged irregularities in the construction of sports facilities for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, some five years after a case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Remulla said he asked his staff to "get the whole file for 2021 to see and to look at the possible violations of law" regarding the case filed against Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon. Dizon was the chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) at that time, which oversaw the construction of New Clark City. "We're opening it up again," Remulla stated. This comes after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Melvin Matibag said on Tuesday that the NBI would investigate the alleged anomalies in the construction of the sports facilities. Matibag's remarks drew a reaction from Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who was the head of the organizing committee of the 2019 SEA Games. Cayetano said the NBI director was trying to intimidate him ahead of his appearance before the Senate impeachment court next week. When asked if Cayetano would be called to the investigation, Remulla replied, “There’s a time for everything." He added, “We're going to study what the office did in 2021. There's no double jeopardy because no case was filed.” This renewed scrutiny highlights the ongoing concerns about transparency and accountability in public infrastructure projects in the Philippines, particularly those tied to major international events.