Palace: Duterte-Cayetano ties won't affect probe on SEA Games snafus

President Rodrigo Duterte’s ties with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano won't stand in the way of the looming investigation on the alleged irregularities in the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the assurance given the fact that Cayetano is the chairperson of the foundation handling the preparations for the biennial games slated for November 30 to December 11.

FULL COVERAGE: 30th Southeast Asian Games on GMA News Online

Cayetano, chairperson of the  Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), was Duterte’s running-mate in the 2016 elections.

“Given the character of this President, wala naman ditong kai-kaibigan eh. You see how he fires people who are close to him,” Panelo said in an interview on ANC.

“Kapag may irregularity, graft, corruption, he will be accountable.”

Panelo later declared in his regular press briefing that “there is no sacred cow in this government.”

“Those who will transgress the law will be accountable,” he said.

Cayetano said on Thursday that he is ready to face investigation into the snafus related to the country’s hosting of the SEA Games.  —Virgil Lopez/LBG, GMA News