DPWH chief Dizon says he's ready to cooperate in probe into 2019 SEA Games spending

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday said he is ready to cooperate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in its investigation into alleged irregularities in the government's spending for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, saying he has a "clear conscience."

Dizon said he would comply with any subpoena that may be issued by the NBI as part of its inquiry.

"We will cooperate because we have a clear conscience," Dizon told reporters during an inspection of the Phase 2 rehabilitation of EDSA early Monday.

Dizon was at that time the chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, which oversaw the construction of the sports facilities at the New Clark City.

The DPWH chief also said the allegations had already been addressed after a complaint filed against him and several other officials was dismissed in 2021.

“Kagaya na rin ng sinabi ng Ombudsman at NBI, 2021 pa ‘yan na-dismiss. May nagkaso na diyan laban sa akin, laban sa iba’t ibang mga opisyales pero na-dismiss na ‘yan December 2021 pa. Kampante tayo dyan. Pero at the same time kung merong mga imbestigasyon kampante rin tayo, tayo ay makikipag-cooperate dyan kasi malinis ang konsensya natin at naniniwala tayo na napakaayos nung mga facilities na ‘yan at napakaayos ng pagkagawa,” ani Dizon.

(As both the Ombudsman and the NBI have said, the case was dismissed in 2021. A complaint was filed against several other officials and me, but it was dismissed as early as December 2021. We are confident about that. At the same time, if there are investigations, we remain confident. We will cooperate because we have a clear conscience, and we believe those facilities were built properly and to a high standard.)

World class

In an interview on Unang Balita later on Monday, Dizon said the New Clark City facilities are world class and the project was above board.

"Unang-una, kung titingnan mo 'yung mga facilities sa New Clark City, napakagaganda niyan. World class na world class," Dizon said.

(First of all, if you will see the facilities at New Clark City, these are very well done. Really world class.)

"Bago natin itayo 'yan, walang world class facility ang ating mga atleta. Walang mapag-trainingan nang maayos. Marami sa kanila kailangan pang mag-abroad para lang makagamit ng mga facilities na maaayos at world class. Ngayon, meron na," he added.

(Before we built that, there was no world class facility for our athletes. There was no well maintained facility where they could train. Many of them had to go abroad just to be able to use facilities that are good and world class. Now we have one.)

Dizon said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) served as adviser for the project.

"'Yan po eh ginawa natin 'yan with the help pa of the Asian Development Bank mismo. ADB mismo ang nag-advise sa atin diyan kaya kampanteng-kampante tayo diyan. Kaya nakita naman natin, 'yung kasong finile noong 2020, na-dismiss kaagad noong 2021," the DPWH secretary said.

(This was done with the help of the Asian Development Bank. The ADB itself advised us that is why we are confident about this project. That is why, as we saw, the case filed in 2020 was dismissed in 2021.)

"Ngayon kung merong mga imbestigasyon pang gustong gagawin, open na open tayo diyan kasi kampante tayo eh. At malakas ang loob nating depensahan 'yan dahil hindi lang 'yan above board, in-advisean ng ADB, pero 'pag nakita mo, quality talaga. In fact, ganyan dapat ang binibigay nating mga facility sa ating mga kababayan, 'yung dekalidad talaga," he added.

(Now if there will be investigations that they want to conduct, we are very much open to those because we are confident about it. And we are optimistic in defending it because it is not just above board and advised by ADB, but you will see that the project is of good quality. In fact, that is the kind of facility we should provide our countrymen, really good quality.)

Earlier, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla ordered investigators to take another look at the alleged irregularities in the construction of sports facilities for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, some five years after a case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

Remulla made the remarks after NBI director Melvin Matibag said on Tuesday that the NBI would investigate the alleged anomalies in the construction of the sports facilities.

Asked if he has any message for Senator Alan Peter Cayetano who took offense at the statement of Matibag that he will investigate the alleged anomalies in the bidding and funding of projects for the 2019 SEA Games, Dizon said: "Ay hindi wala po. Opo (wala po akong mensahe sa kanya). Kung ano man ang gagawin ng ating Ombudsman, ng NBI, open tayo diyan. Anytime."

(Ah, no. Yes [I have no message for him.] Whatever our Ombudsman and NBI will do, we are open to that.) —LDF/KG, GMA News