By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has intensified its investigation into the alleged misuse and handling of billions of pesos in public funds allocated for the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, including questions over whether the money was properly subjected to state audit.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said investigators are examining claims that government funds, including allocations reportedly sourced from the Office of then-President Rodrigo Duterte, were transferred to the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC)—a private, foreign-registered non-government organization that oversaw the staging of the regional sporting event.
According to Matibag, the transfer of government money to a private entity raises serious concerns over transparency and accountability, particularly because public funds are generally required to undergo scrutiny by the Commission on Audit (COA).
The NBI is likewise looking into a possible violation of the Anti-Dummy Law involving Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who chaired the SEA Games organizing committee, after investigators allegedly found that his name was absent from PHISGOC’s official list of board trustees.
“I was surprised his name was not there,” Matibag said during an interview, referring to the organization’s corporate records.
The NBI chief compared the developing case to previous controversies involving the misuse of public funds, saying investigators are determining whether billions of pesos entrusted to PHISGOC were properly accounted for and liquidated.
Records show that PHISGOC managed approximately ₱7.5 billion in combined government appropriations and private sector contributions for the country’s hosting of the 2019 SEA Games.
In a 2020 audit report, the Commission on Audit flagged around ₱2.2 billion in government funds released to PHISGOC that remained unliquidated, as well as ₱500 million transferred to the Philippine Olympic Committee that also drew audit observations.
Matibag emphasized, however, that the figures cited in previous audit reports remain subject to verification as part of the bureau’s ongoing investigation, stressing that no final conclusions have yet been reached.
He disclosed that investigators have already developed several leads and are expected to issue subpoenas to former PHISGOC officials as the inquiry moves forward. He clarified that Senator Cayetano is not included in the initial batch of subpoenas while investigators continue gathering documentary evidence.
The investigation is expected to examine the release, utilization, liquidation, and auditing of government funds, as well as determine whether existing laws governing the management of public money were violated.
The NBI has yet to announce whether criminal complaints will be filed, saying the fact-finding investigation remains ongoing.
ia/xf
