Palace says NBI probe into 2019 SEA Games not meant to intimidate anyone

Malacañang on Thursday said that the National Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the alleged anomalies in the bidding and funding of projects for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games was not meant to intimidate anyone who did nothing wrong.

Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said this in a Palace briefing after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said that the NBI's planned investigation into the 2019 SEA Games was intended to intimidate members of the Senate impeachment court.

“Ang tao na walang dapat katakutan ay hindi nai-intimidate kahit kailan… Hindi ito pang-i-intimidate sa mga tao na wala namang ginawang mali,” Castro said.

(A person who has nothing to fear is never intimidated… This investigation is not about intimidating people who didn't do anything wrong.)

The Palace official also maintained that it is the mandate of the NBI to investigate any alleged anomalies.

“Hindi kailangang utusan ng Pangulo. Mandato nila ‘yan…trabaho nila ‘yan,” she added.

(The President does not have to direct them. That’s their job.)

Cayetano served as chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), which organized the 2019 SEA Games.

Matibag disclosed that the NBI recently received new information and documents involving the PHISGOC, claiming that billions of pesos were spent on the SEA Games Sports Complex.

He also alleged that a private company received P10 billion through "congressional insertions."

Aside from these, Matibag said the NBI would also examine the P50-million 2019 SEA Games cauldron project. —AOL, GMA News