Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

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/178418606041520260716040716_2030fb7474fc53d5697e63b51cdf7f0d8471e17ffa049b85e32f8f7129c45b60 (8).jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senators Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano during the third day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, July 8. <em>Voltaire F. Domingo &amp; Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday questioned Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetanos’ assertion that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been trying to “intimidate” them as they sit as senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/15/-binabawasan-talaga-kami-iniisa-isa-cayetano-says-2019-sea-games-probe-aims-to-intimidate-him-1433">‘Binabawasan talaga kami, iniisa-isa’: Cayetano says 2019 SEA Games probe aims to ‘intimidate’ him</a></div><p>Sen. Alan earlier said that NBI Director Melvin Matibag — who is set to be summoned to the Senate impeachment court next week — seems to be trying to intimidate him by announcing an investigation into the spending of taxpayers’ money during the Philippines 2019 hosting of the SEA Games, where Cayetano served as chairman of the organizing committee.</p><p>“Mandato naman po ng pamunuan ng NBI na mag-imbestiga kung mayroon silang naririnig, nalaman na anomalya… Kung ito ay sinasabing panggigitpit, ang aking narinig lamang ay ito ay papaimbestigahan,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told Palace reporters</p><p>“Ang tao na wala namang dapat katakutan ay hindi naiintimidate kahit kailan… Hindi ito pang-iintimidate, hindi ito panggigipit sa mga tao na wala anamng ginawang mali,” she said.</p><p>The NBI agreed to reopen the probe into allegations of corruption after Matibag’s meeting with several officials in the New Clark City — one of the venues of the 2019 SEA Games, where NBI’s new academy is set to be built, Castro said, noting that the aforementioned meeting happened back in mid-June.</p><p>“Bilang namumuno sa NBI, kapag may narinig na ganoon ano ba dapat ang gawin?” Castro asked.</p><p>Sen. Pia described Matibag’s remarks an attempt at intimidation that the impeachment court should not let pass as the NBI probe would likely distract her brother from the impeachment trial.</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>Sen. Alan, meantime, said that the NBI investigation is “unfair.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;KAYO BA AY GUILTY?&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>But the Malacañang backed the NBI, saying that the Cayetano siblings’ remarks against an investigation may prompt more questions from the public.</p><p>“Kapag ganoon kasi ang mga pananaw… maaari silang pag isipan na kayo ba ay guilty?” Castro said.</p><p>The Palace also alleged that a proper investigation on Cayetano’s involvement in alleged anomalies in the 2019 SEA Games was not conducted as then-President Rodrigo Duterte had already cleared his political ally of wrongdoing before he was subject to any review.</p><p>Meantime, Malacañang distanced Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon from the controversy, saying that the former Bases Conversion and Development Authority has already been cleared of alleged anomalies.</p><p>“Naimbestigahan po si Sec. Vince Dizon noong mga panahon na iyon tungkol sa issue na yan,” the Palace official said.</p><p>“Siya po ay napa walang sala,” she said.</p><p>The Department of Justice (DOJ) — the agency in charge of the NBI — said that while it “fully respects” the opinions of the two Cayetano senators, the NBI would still “carry out its work with the professionalism, integrity, and independence expected of it.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ALAN: ‘DI KAYO HALATA’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In a Facebook live, Alan called out the Palace, NBI and DOJ, saying: “Di kayo halata ha. Slight lang pero hindi naman kayo halata.”</p><p>He proposed that his camp would fully support the NBI’s investigation into the 2019 SEA Games, but the Senate minority bloc would also investigate the flood control issue.</p><p>“Ano? Deal? So, madali lang yan, Malacañang, kasi sumusunod naman sa inyo sila Senator Erwin [Tulfo], sila Senator [Panfilo] Lacson, yung mga nasa Blue Ribbon,” Cayetano said.</p><p>He claimed his bloc has a list of “strong” witnesses.</p><p>Last month, a “Blue Ribbon hearing” was held by the minority bloc, where the former bodyguards of ex-lawmaker Zaldy Co testified.</p><p>Tulfo, chair of the Blue Ribbon panel, dismissed the event as<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/15/tulfo-led-blue-ribbon-says-no-hearing-on-tuesday-1621"> “illegitimate.”</a></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><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/t6a7hxG7qss?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/sPfMkp8Qizo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Malacañang backed the NBI, saying that the Cayetano siblings’ remarks against an investigation may prompt more questions from the public.</p>

Malacañang backed the NBI, saying that the Cayetano siblings’ remarks against an investigation may prompt more questions from the public.

‘Kayo ba ay guilty?’: Palace defends NBI after Cayetanos’ ‘intimidation’ remark

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‘Kayo ba ay guilty?’: Palace defends NBI after Cayetanos’ ‘intimidation’ remark

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 16, 2026 03:31 PM PHT

|

Updated July 16, 2026 05:48 PM PHT

Read More:

NBI

Melvin Matibag

Alan Peter Cayetano

Pia Cayetano

2019 SEA Games

politics

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