The Office of the Ombudsman has reopened its review of records related to the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games following renewed allegations of irregularities in infrastructure projects linked to the sporting event.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he directed his staff to retrieve the office's 2021 case files to determine whether any violations of law may have been committed in connection with the multibillion-peso sports complex in New Clark City.

"This morning, I asked my staff to get the whole file from 2021 to see and to look at the possible violations of law. We're opening it up again," Remulla said.

The renewed review comes after National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag announced that the bureau was investigating fresh information involving alleged funding irregularities in the 2019 SEA Games.

According to Matibag, investigators are looking into about P10 billion in allegedly unliquidated funds, questionable procurement procedures and the controversial P50-million cauldron.

As part of its fact-finding inquiry, the NBI has subpoenaed former Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee officials, including former chairman Ramon Suzara, former chief financial officer Dexter Estacio, and corporate secretary Lester Buenconsejo.

Former PHISGOC chairman and now Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon were among the key officials involved in organizing the 2019 games.

Amid claims that the investigation was intended to intimidate public officials, particularly Cayetano, who is serving as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, both Matibag and Remulla denied that the inquiry was politically motivated.

"There's a time for everything. We'll just study the work conducted by the office previously in 2021. There won't be double jeopardy because no one was charged, so we'll look into it," Remulla said.

Earlier cases

Questions surrounding the 2019 SEA Games resurfaced following reports by DAILY TRIBUNE on the management of the biennial event.

Those reports eventually prompted investigations by both Congress and anti-graft authorities, including complaints involving the construction of the sports complex in New Clark City.

Dizon and four former officials of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority were previously accused of graft and malversation over the P8.51-billion sports complex project awarded to Malaysian firm MTD Capital Berhad.

The complaint filed by Citizens Crime Watch alleged irregularities in the bidding process, failure to liquidate funds, unlawful contract insertions and the increase in the project's cost from P8.51 billion to P11 billion.

However, Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano confirmed that the complaint against Dizon had already been dismissed through a joint resolution issued in December 2021.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro likewise said Dizon had already been investigated and cleared of any criminal liability.

Cayetano welcomes probe

Cayetano said he supports the NBI's renewed investigation into the SEA Games, provided lawmakers are also allowed to scrutinize flood control projects.

Addressing the NBI, Malacañang and the Department of Justice, Cayetano said he would fully support a comprehensive investigation into what he described as a successful hosting of the games if minority senators were likewise allowed to investigate flood control spending.

"We will support you totally... then I, along with ten of our companions who are now in the minority, will investigate flood control. So what, deal?" Cayetano said.

In response, Castro reiterated that the SEA Games investigation was not intended to single out any individual.

"People who did not do anything wrong should not be intimidated. This is not an intimidation tactic against people who committed no crime," she said.