Ombudsman free to probe SEA Games mess: Palace

MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman has the discretion to investigate the supposed mishandling of the PHP6-billion budget earmarked for the Philippines’ hosting of the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo welcomed the Ombudsman’s move to form a fact-finding committee to probe those who handled the funds, including the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) led by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

“I think the Ombudsman is responding to the reports of certain irregularities and that is the task of the Ombudsman, it can initiate on its own or motu proprio (on its own) investigate any complaint of irregularities even without a complainant complaining about it,” the Palace official said.

On Monday, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said his office created a seven-member panel that will conduct a fact-finding investigation into the funds spent for the biennial regional multi-sport event.

Martires noted that the anti-graft body might take three months to complete the probe.

Around PHP6 billion has been allocated for the country’s fourth hosting of the SEA Games. The Philippines also hosted the Games in 1981, 1991, and 2005 when it won the overall title.

Cayetano chaired the Phisgoc, a private entity that oversees the preparations and execution of the Philippines’ hosting of the 2019 regional sports meet.

Before the formal opening of SEA Games on November 30, Phisgoc earned criticisms following the inconveniences on transport, lodging and other logistical issues experienced by foreign athletes.

Innocent until proven otherwise

Panelo, also chief presidential legal counsel, said Cayetano and other Phisgoc officials remain innocent unless proven otherwise by the results of the ongoing investigation.

“Well, you know President Duterte is a lawyer and we lawyers always give the presumption of innocence to everyone accused of any crime or irregularity. So until such time an evidence to the contrary is given us or given the President, the same presumption of innocence is accorded to him or to anyone,” he said.

“And I think the Speaker, Alan Cayetano welcomes it. He issued a statement on that effect,” the Palace official added.

On November 29, Duterte issued a public apology for the alleged mishaps hounding the country’s hosting of the SEA Games.

The President also assured the public that he would order the conduct of investigation once the regional sport meet concludes.

In a television interview, Duterte said mistakes in the hosting of the SEA Games could have been avoided if the PHP6-billion budget was used “correctly”.

“You can do it, not really with precision, but had you made most of the money then you could have avoided the critical situations, the mishaps,” Duterte said in a GMA’s Unang Hirit interviewed aired on December 2.

“These things could have been avoided if you used the money correctly,” he added.