Cayetano-Matibag spat revives P50-M SEA Games cauldron issue

Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano (left) and NBI Director Melvin Matibag (right) —Inquirer file MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday accused National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag of trying to intimidate him as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, after the bureau announced it would investigate alleged anomalies involving infrastructure built for the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Calling the announcement a “Marites (hearsay) accusation” and a “misfire,” Cayetano questioned the timing of the planned probe, noting that Matibag is scheduled to testify next week before the impeachment court as a witness for the House prosecution panel. The NBI chief said he intends to revisit the issues that hounded the SEA Games’ organizing body then headed by Cayetano, including how the cauldron especially built for the regional sports meet—and which largely drew criticism for being aesthetically bland—ended up costing P50 million. The cauldron project, a landmark that still stands today, generated social media memes calling it the most expensive “kaldero” (cooking pot) in history. READ: P50-M SEA Games ‘kaldero’ is ‘Imeldific’ but reasonable — solon The latest exchange marks another chapter in the escalating feud between the two officials, which intensified following the June 13 shooting inside the Senate complex during the attempted service of a subpoena on Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. The incident sparked public exchanges over law enforcement actions, with Wednesday’s dispute further heightening tensions ahead of Matibag’s court appearance. Speaking ahead of the oral arguments on the House prosecutors’ request to subpoena Duterte’s bank and tax records, Cayetano said the NBI chief’s announcement created a “chilling effect” on senator-judges. READ: Drilon questions ‘P50-million kaldero’ for SEA Games “Isn’t it unfair to me and unfair to the court that you announce you are investigating me just as we were about to subpoena you on Monday? Are you trying to intimidate me?” he asked. A day earlier, Matibag disclosed that the NBI would investigate the funding of sports facilities in New Clark City, Tarlac. This was after agency officials visited the area, where the agency plans to build a 70-hectare NBI Academy. Matibag said the bureau received documents indicating that about P10 billion had been spent on the sports complex without liquidation. He also claimed the facilities were built by a Malaysian contractor without public bidding and that the funding allegedly came from congressional insertions in the General Appropriations Act. “We need to investigate something because when we got there, it turns out that billions of pesos came in here that were unliquidated,” Matibag told reporters, adding that the bureau would also reopen its investigation into the controversial P50-million SEA Games cauldron. Responding to Cayetano’s accusations, Matibag insisted the investigation was prompted by newly obtained documents and was not directed at the senator. “I’m aware that he was the chairman of Phisgoc, but this is not a renewed interest,” Matibag said in a chance interview. “Documents have surfaced, and all allegations of corruption brought before the NBI are investigated.” Phisgoc stands for the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, a privately formed foundation incorporated by the government and sports officials as the primary organizing body for the country’s hosting of the 30th SEA Games in 2019. Matibag said the bureau had already formed a task force composed of its Financial Investigation Unit and Special Action Unit, and would coordinate with the Commission on Audit, Securities and Exchange Commission and Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). Asked about allegations that the probe was politically motivated, Matibag replied: “I’m not arguing with him. I’m always respectful, especially to members of the Senate. The NBI will always go where the evidence leads us.” He added that while personalities had surfaced in the initial documents, no one had been formally identified as liable. Cayetano denied any involvement in the infrastructure projects, saying these were implemented by the BCDA, not by Phisgoc, which he chaired. He also rejected Matibag’s allegation that the funding came from congressional insertions. “How could a nonmember of the Senate or nonmember of the House insert anything?” he said, noting he had resigned as foreign secretary before seeking a congressional seat. Cayetano maintained that Phisgoc’s funds had been fully liquidated and had already undergone several government reviews, including by the Office of the Ombudsman. “If they want to investigate, go ahead. But by mentioning the organizing committee, I stand by what happened there. If there was an anomaly, I would have been the first one to get angry,” he said. His sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, accused Matibag of attempting to pressure senator-judges, asking whether the NBI chief announced the probe to avoid “tough questions” when he appears before the impeachment court on Monday. Sen. Robinhood Padilla likewise urged fellow senator-judges to safeguard the court’s independence, saying public trust depends on their ability to decide cases “without fear or favor.” Matibag’s request to have his testimony scheduled ahead of July 20 was not granted after the minority leader objected to it, saying senator-judges themselves have set aside several important foreign and local trips to focus on the impeachment proceedings. “I find it in bad taste that a bureau head will dictate to us that he is not available next week,” Cayetano said. The NBI chief said he will be attending a regional summit on transnational crime hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok on July 21 to 22. The fresh controversy also revives the long-running debate over the Philippines’ hosting of the 2019 SEA Games, particularly the P50-million Olympic-style cauldron designed by National Artist Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa. The structure drew widespread criticism after lawmakers questioned its cost, although organizers defended it as part of the country’s long-term sports infrastructure program. While the expenditure became a major political issue, no criminal conviction resulted from investigations into the project. During Wednesday’s impeachment proceedings, Cayetano reiterated that the New Clark City sports complex itself was funded by the private sector and that “no public money was used” for its construction. While reiterating that he had no objection to any legitimate investigation, Cayetano said public officials must avoid actions that could cast doubt on the independence of the impeachment court. “Go ahead and investigate,” he said. “But we have to make sure that the integrity of the court is intact.” /cb