The Malacañang Palace and the Department of Justice (DoJ) have defended the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) probe into alleged irregularities surrounding the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, dismissing claims that the investigation was meant to pressure senator-judges hearing Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio's impeachment trial.
The DoJ stated that the department respects the mandate and authority of the NBI to conduct investigations, whether upon referral or motu proprio, and that the bureau has sufficient operational independence to perform its investigative functions.
Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro emphasized that the NBI did not need authorization from President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to pursue the inquiry, stating that the President does not need to order them to do their job.
The NBI has created a task force to investigate irregularities involving the New Clark City Sports Complex, including reportedly unliquidated funds and questions over procurement and the P50-million SEA Games cauldron.
The inquiry was sparked by information NBI Director Melvin A. Matibag received during a June 15 meeting on the planned NBI Academy in New Clark City, one of the SEA Games venues.
Ms. Castro assured that the NBI chief had not identified any person as the target of the probe and encouraged people with nothing to hide to not fear a lawful inquiry.
The Palace official also rejected claims that Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon should be implicated, citing that he had previously been investigated and cleared over the project.
A previous complaint against Mr. Dizon and other officials over the construction of facilities for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for insufficiency of evidence in a joint resolution issued in December 2021.
The Commission on Audit had flagged deficiencies in the liquidation and procurement of SEA Games expenditures, although organizers have said the audit observations were later addressed or explained.
The NBI has yet to announce the scope, timetable or potential resource persons for its investigation.
