Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on the third day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, July 8, 2026. Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit

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VP Sara Impeachment

Marilyn Cahatol

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178409702812520260709-senate-impeachment-day3-WA-26.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano on the third day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, July 8, 2026. Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED) </strong>— Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano claimed Wednesday that the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/7/14/nbi-launches-probe-into-alleged-irregularities-in-2019-sea-games-infrastructure-projects-2232">National Bureau of Investigation’s probe into alleged anomalies</a> involving infrastructure projects for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games was an attempt to “intimidate” him as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. </p><p>Cayetano chaired the Organizing Committee for the games. But he asserted that he had “nothing to do with the infrastructure.” </p><p>&quot;Isn’t it unfair to me and unfair to the court that kung kelan siya patatawag sa Monday, ano, intimidate mo ako? Hindi kita tatanungin sa Monday dahil mag-a-announce ka na iimbestigahan mo?&quot; Cayetano said at the start of the sixth day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>(But isn’t it unfair to me and unfair to the court that you announce you are investigating me just as we will subpoena you on Monday? Are you trying to intimidate me? Do you think I won&#x27;t ask you questions on Monday because you announced you are investigating me? )</p><p>“If they want to investigate, go ahead. But by mentioning the organizing committee… paninindigan ko po na napakaganda ng nangyari dun at kung may anomalya, ako ang unang magagalit,” he said. </p><p>His sister Sen. Pia Cayetano said Matibag’s remarks were an attempt at intimidation that the impeachment court should not let pass.</p><p>&quot;I am bothered. There&#x27;s no jurisdiction in the world that allows a judge to be pressured and intimidated. I ask each one of you my dear colleagues, payag ba tayo sa ganito? Ganito na ba tayo dito ngayon (Will you allow this? Is this how we are now)?&quot;</p><p>She said the investigation would distract her brother from the impeachment trial.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MATIBAG REMARKS </strong></div><p>She also moved to have the video of NBI Director Melvin Matibag discussing the planned investigation played before the court, which is scheduled to hear <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/impeachment-day-6-prosecution-defense-to-spar-over-vp-sara-bank-tax-records-0858">oral arguments on requests to subpoena</a> the financial documents of Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio.</p><p>Sen. Francis Escudero, court presiding officer, allowed the video to be played “in order for us to move on.”</p><p>Matibag did not name anyone in the clip, which was played twice, in talking about an investigation into infrastructure contracts for the SEA Games that he said did not go through bidding and allegedly involved congressional insertions.</p><p>Cayetano claimed that Matibag&#x27;s remarks were a &quot;Maritess accusation towards me that affects this court because I am now a senator-judge.”</p><p>NBI Director Melvin Matibag is set to stand as a witness before the impeachment court next week, Monday, in relation to the alleged “grave threats” Duterte supposedly uttered against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/14/nbi-director-matibag-says-ready-to-testify-anytime-in-duterte-impeachment-trial-1756">NBI chief Matibag says ready to testify &#x27;anytime&#x27; in Duterte impeachment trial </a></div><p>“If the intention was to have a chilling effect, we already have a chilling effect,” Cayetano said, citing the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/cayetano-replaces-sotto-as-senate-president-1539">May 11 Senate leadership change</a> and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/13/senate-on-lockdown-osaa-says-it-will-arrest-someone-1953">May 13 shootout</a> at the Senate, hours before Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa left the compound despite being under protective custody. </p><p>“The chilling effect is there, but am I intimidated? Wala na akong choice. Ilalaban ko na to, gagawin ko yung dapat kong gawin,” he added. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PADILLA: ‘DAPAT BA KAMING MANGAMBA?’ </strong></div><p>Sen. Robin Padilla, who spoke before Alan Cayetano, questioned whether the events were coincidences or intentional.</p><p>“Ang mga nangyayari po sa ating hukuman sa mga oras na ito, hindi ko po alam kung ito ba ay eksakto lang na nangyayari o ito po ba ay sinasadya katulad ng pagkakakulong ng ating dalawang senator-judge na si Sen. Jinggoy Estrada at Sen. Rodante Marcoleta,” Padilla said. </p><p><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/jinggoy-estrada-faces-second-arrest-warrant-for-non-bailable-plunder-1414">Estrada </a>and <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/6/marcoleta-arrest-plunder-1023">Marcoleta</a>, both Padilla’s colleagues in the minority bloc, are now detained for plunder cases. </p><p>“Dapat po ba tayong mangamba, dapat po ba kaming mangamba? At tayo po ay parang eksakto naman lahat ito,” he said. </p><div><br/></div><div><em><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3StIaciCWP4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></em><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that the National Bureau of Investigation’s probe into alleged anomalies involving infrastructure projects for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games was an attempt to “intimidate” him as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p>

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that the National Bureau of Investigation’s probe into alleged anomalies involving infrastructure projects for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games was an attempt to “intimidate” him as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

‘Binabawasan talaga kami, iniisa-isa’: Cayetano says 2019 SEA Games probe aims to ‘intimidate’ him

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‘Binabawasan talaga kami, iniisa-isa’: Cayetano says 2019 SEA Games probe aims to ‘intimidate’ him

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 15, 2026 02:33 PM PHT

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Updated July 15, 2026 03:57 PM PHT

Read More:

Alan Peter Cayetano

impeachment trial

2019 SEA Games

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