Ombudsman Remulla orders review of dismissed 2019 SEA Games sports facilities case

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla has ordered investigators to take another look at the alleged irregularities in the construction of sports facilities for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, some five years after a case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

Asked about the Ombudsman’s dismissal of the case filed against Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon over the construction of the sports facilities, Remulla said, "Just this morning, I asked my staff to get the whole file for 2021 to see and to look at the possible violations of law."

Dizon was at that time the chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, which oversaw the construction of the New Clark City.

"We’re opening it up again," Remulla said.

Remulla made the remarks after National Bureau of Investigation director Melvin Matibag said on Tuesday that the NBI would investigate the alleged anomalies in the construction of the sports facilities.

Matibag's remarks drew a reaction from Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who said the NBI director was trying to intimidate him ahead of the official's appearance before the Senate impeachment court next week.

Cayetano was the head of the organizing committee of the 2019 SEA Games, from which the Philippines emerged as the overall champion.

Asked if Cayetano would be called to the investigation, Remulla said, “There’s a time for everything."

“Basta’t pag aaralan muna namin ‘yung ginawa nung office dati nung 2021. Kasi walang double jeopardy ‘yan, wala naman na charge doon,” Remulla said.

(We're going to study what the office did in 2021. There's no double jeopardy because no case was filed.) –NB, GMA News