SEA Games probe: PSC chair submits Phisgoc docs to NBI
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chair John Patrick “Pato” Gregorio on Friday appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to comply with the subpoena issued to him regarding the investigation into the alleged irregularities in the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
In an interview upon his arrival at the bureau, Gregorio said he received the subpoena from the NBI two days ago.
The PSC chair said he was also tasked to provide documents that the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) submitted to them in 2019.
“So, since I am the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, I was summoned, we are here to submit these,” Gregorio told reporters.
READ: NBI forms ‘Task Force Cash Cow,’ probes Phisgoc’s P6.7B gov’t funding
“What will happen during the meeting, I really don’t have any idea yet. Maybe that is part of the clarification I will ask when I enter the meeting,” he added.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag, in an interview later on Friday, likewise said that Gregorio arrived at the NBI to “give testimony and all the documents that we are getting regarding our SEA Games probe.”
When asked what these documents are, Matibag said, “I haven’t seen it yet. I was not part of the investigating team, but it will be reported to my office.”
READ: Matibag: Cayetano may be subpoenaed in 2019 SEA Games probe
Matibag recently said the NBI has already formed “Task Force Cash Cow” to investigate the Phisgoc’s handling of the 2019 SEA Games after noting that based on their initial findings, the committee received around P6.7 billion in government funds, specifically from the PSC, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), and the Department of Budget and Management for the activity.
The NBI director said that if adding the other funds that Phisgoc accepted from the private sector, the committee’s budget may reach over P10 billion.
Matibag also earlier said that Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano would also be subpoenaed should the former Phisgoc officials implicate him during their questioning, adding that based on a document the bureau received, the senator was appointed interim chair by the POC, with instructions “to immediately incorporate the Phisgoc.”
He mentioned that the NBI will verify why Cayetano’s name was not listed on the board of directors even though he recently declared that he served as chairperson of Phisgoc. /das
