The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) may summon Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as part of its ongoing probe into alleged irregularities surrounding the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said on Monday.
According to a report by RH Jecelle Ricafort, Matibag said the senator could be invited to appear before investigators if his name emerges in testimonies from witnesses participating in the inquiry.
Matibag further stated several individuals have already expressed willingness to serve as witnesses, as the bureau continues to gather evidence on the organization and management of the games.
Central to the investigation, he said, is the need to clarify why Cayetano’s name did not appear in corporate records as chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), despite his public role during the event.
Initial findings showed that Cayetano was designated as interim chairman of PHISGOC by the Philippine Olympic Committee. However, Matibag noted that the senator was not listed as a member of the organization’s board of directors, raising legal questions about his authority.
“Ang nangyayari dapat, yung binuo na PHISGOC will elect their set of officers. So medyo yun yung questions dyan, yun yung kailangan maipaliwanag,” Matibag said.
He described Cayetano’s reported actions as potentially “ultra vires,” or beyond the scope of authority, if he acted as chairman without being formally part of the board.
“Unang-una nga, paano ka magiging chairman kung nagpakilala kang chairman? tapos hindi ka naman member ng board,” Matibag said. “If you acted as chairman na hindi ka chairman, that is an ultra vires act.”
Matibag added that corporate decisions should be backed by board resolutions, which investigators are now seeking to verify.
The NBI also plans to question Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who is listed in official Securities and Exchange Commission records as the PHISGOC chairman in 2019, to explain why he did not perform the functions of the position during the games.
The probe forms part of a broader investigation into the handling of funds and organizational structure of the 2019 SEA Games, which the Philippines hosted.
