Cayetano says no conflict of interest in his heading PHISGOC

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday maintained that there is no conflict of interest in his heading the Philippine organizing body for the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games while being a congressman, and the leader of the House of Representatives at that.

"There's no such thing as the conflict of interest," Cayetano told reporters in an ambush interview in San Juan City.

"Maraming congressman ang head ng NSA [national sports association] ng iba't ibang sports 'di ba? Ang SEA Games in history, is led by government officials," he added.

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Cayetano, a former senator, said that he had not yet won as Taguig Representative in the May polls when he became chair of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC).

He added that resigning from the body would have been fine with him when he stepped down as Foreign Secretary.

"Ang problema nga, hindi kami binigyan ng budget. So it was me who was asking private businessmen during the campaign, where I have to absent myself sa campaign, to attend the PHISGOC meetings and raise the money sa pasuweldo," he said.

Cayetano said it is easy for his critics to cry conflict of interest, and alleged that they have never done anything to help PHISGOC.

"E di sana nag-volunteer kayo, sana kayo ang nag-chairman, sana kayo ang nag-ano ng pera 'di ba?" he said.

He reiterated that he is willing to be investigated over the supposed irregularities and blunders in the country's hosting of the SEA Games.

"Hindi ba kayo puwedeng maghintay hanggang sa December 12, para 'yan 'di ba? 'Yon ang sinasabi ko, tatargetin n'yo ako, ang tatamaan SEA Games 'di ba?" Cayetano said.

"Galing-galingan ninyo ang target n'yo 'di ba? Pero I will also unmask those people who are shameless, o mga walanghiya, na gusto talagang sirain ang image ng ating bansa," he added. — BM, GMA News