Sen. Alan Cayetano on Thursday proposed an “ex-deal” with the administration to let the minority revive the stalled flood control probe while the NBI investigates alleged anomalies in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

The regional sports event was hosted by the Philippines and was chiefly supervised by Cayetano, who was then appointed as chair of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano expressed confidence that the P6-billion sports projects could withstand scrutiny amid efforts by NBI Director Melvin Matibag to revive the investigation, allegedly after receiving a tip that billions of public funds have yet to be properly liquidated. 

“This is our proposal to the NBI, Malacañang, and the DOJ (Department of Justice): Investigate the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, where we emerged as overall champions and were looked up to by the entire Southeast Asia region...We will support [you] totally,” he said in a Facebook live in Filipino.

“Then, my colleagues and I in the minority will investigate flood control. What do you think? Deal?” he added. 

Cayetano remarked that a go-signal from Malacañang could immediately enable Senator Erwin, chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, and his allies in the majority to call a hearing, regardless, while the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is ongoing.   

Cayetano and his allies cried foul over the NBI’s probe into the 2019 SEAG, calling it politically motivated, aimed at intimidating the Senate opposition bloc, which is known to be supportive of the VP. 

Malacañang and Matibag pushed back against the allegations, with the latter saying it was merely incidental and not motivated by personal vendetta, citing a tip that approximately P10 billion was involved in the SEAG Sports Complex. 

Matibag alleged that the project bypassed the mandated public bidding process and that the payment was promptly secured through congressional insertions in the national budget.

Cayetano and Matibag have traded barbs since the alleged botched attempt by the NBI to arrest Senator Bato dela Rosa in the Senate premises on 11 May on an International Criminal Court warrant. 

‘Overpriced’ project

A day after learning of Matibag’s announcement, Cayetano took the podium during the sixth day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday to denounce what he suggested was the NBI’s calculated effort backed by the administration. 

Cayetano argued that Matibag’s allegations that there were congressional insertions to the tune of P10 billion were misplaced because he was not a member of Congress at the time. 

The 2019 SEAG drew intense public backlash due to allegations of an overpriced cauldron, which allegedly cost P50 million. Cayetano denied profiting from the project. 

Parallel probes were launched to scrutinize the spending, although Cayetano was later cleared of corruption allegations by former president Duterte.

The Taguig lawmaker said the timing of the NBI’s probe was pretty “obvious,” which came barely two weeks after the Senate impeachment court started the impeachment trial. 

Cayetano and his allies suggested that the move was aimed at scaling back further the minority bloc in the Senate amid lingering questions about whether the voting threshold for Duterte’s conviction should be lowered due to the current composition of the Senate. 

The number of senator-judges is now down from 24 to 21 following the arrests of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, both on plunder charges, while Dela Rosa remains in hiding to evade the ICC warrant. They are allied with the Cayetano-led bloc.

Why single out Vince?

Cayetano also questioned the supposed premature decision of Malacañang to absolve DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon from the probe. 

Before joining the Cabinet of President Marcos Jr., Dizon served as president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) from 2016 to 2021, during the Duterte administration. 

The BCDA, under his watch, oversaw the development and construction of the multibillion-peso New Clark City sports complex in Tarlac, which served as a major hub for the 2019 SEAG. 

The BCDA entered into a joint venture agreement with the Malaysian firm MTD Capital Berhad, which later prompted graft and malversation complaints to the Ombudsman in 2020.

The complainants alleged irregularities in the project, such as a lack of public bidding, and accused Dizon and several others of being in cahoots to award the P8.51-billion joint venture agreement to MTD Capital Berhad. 

Malacañang, however, defended Dizon, saying the graft complaints against him were already junked by the Ombudsman in 2021.

“Then Malacañang claims their secretary had already been investigated, but as for me, the investigation is not yet finished? That’s fine. Let’s investigate everyone. But surely, ‘flood control’ isn’t a bad word. A ‘cover-up’ is,” Cayetano asserted.

The last flood control probe, where several allies of Marcos are being implicated, was held on 8 June, though Tulfo said the investigation is not yet terminated.