Cayetano leaves for Singapore amid SEA Games probe

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 11, 2026

Photo courtesy: Journal Online

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano left the Philippines for Singapore on September 9 as government agencies continue separate investigations into alleged irregularities linked to the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that Cayetano is currently out of the country and said there was no hold-departure order or derogatory record that would have legally prevented him from leaving as of his departure date.

Photos showed Cayetano at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 before boarding Singapore Airlines flight SQ 921, which departed at around 6:34 p.m. Reports also cited a separate immigration entry showing he had been booked on an Abu Dhabi-bound Etihad Airways flight earlier that day.

His departure came amid speculation about possible charges related to the 2019 SEA Games, but no criminal case has been filed against Cayetano over the issue as of the latest reports.

The National Bureau of Investigation has reopened its probe into alleged funding and procurement irregularities connected to the Games, including transactions involving the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee or PHISGOC.

Cayetano was publicly identified as PHISGOC chairman during the 2019 SEA Games. However, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said investigators have encountered difficulty directly linking him to alleged irregularities because his name does not appear among PHISGOC’s registered board members or on key documents being reviewed.

Matibag said witnesses have nevertheless claimed that Cayetano gave instructions on the allocation of funds, which investigators are continuing to examine. The NBI has said it is reviewing possible graft and plunder complaints in connection with specific SEA Games transactions, including the controversial cauldron project.

The Office of the Ombudsman has also reopened its review of alleged irregularities surrounding the construction of facilities for the 2019 Games, with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla saying any action would be based on evidence.

For now, Cayetano remains legally free to travel abroad, with the BI confirming that no order restricting his departure was in place.