Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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Jervis Manahan

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/17845318879061766745791208viber_image_2025-12-26_17-58-00-887 (6).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Presidential Communications Office Usec. Claire Castro and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano<em>. Revoli Cortez, PPA pool &amp; Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Monday challenged reporters to ask Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano if he has already liquidated the billions of funds spent for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines hosted.</p><p>This comes after Cayetano&#x27;s reaction when the National Bureau of Investigation announced they are looking into the controversies in the sporting event.</p><p>Cayetano served as the chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) that time.</p><p>&quot;Kung hindi naman po siya natatakot sa anumang isyu ng korapsyon, sa bilyong-bilyong pera or pondo na naibigay dito sa Phisgoc, hindi naman po siguro siya manggagalaiti. Kaya naman po niya siguro itong i-liquidate,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>&quot;So, ang tanungin ninyo po, kung inyo siyang makakausap: Na-liquidate ninyo po ba iyong bilyones na pondo na inilaan para sa 2019 SEA Games? Pangalawa, sinu-sino kaya ang nagbigay ng donasyon para sa 2019 SEA Games? Nai-report din po kaya ito?&quot; Castro added.</p><p>Cayetano earlier described NBI Director Melvin Matibag as a &quot;minion&quot;, alleging he is acting upon the orders of a mastermind.</p><p>&quot;Sa aking pagkakaalam, ang salitang minions ay wala naman sa bibliya. So, wala pong ginagawa ngayon ang senador, si Senador Alan Cayetano, kung hindi magturo at manira ng iba,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>&quot;Ang pag-iimbestiga po na gagawin ng NBI ay mandato po ito, trabaho po nila na tugunan ang mga isyu patungkol sa korapsyon,&quot; she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MARCOS ON VINCE DIZON</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, the Palace said DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon still enjoys the trust of the President, despite being mentioned in the SEA Games investigation.</p><p>Dizon was President and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority during that time, and he oversaw the construction of major sports facilities.</p><p>&quot;Sa ngayon po, lahat naman po ng miyembro ng gabinete ng Pangulo ay, siya po ay may tiwala. Hangga’t wala naman pong naipapakita pang anumang ebidensiya na maaaring magsangkot sa mga miyembro ng gabinete patungkol sa korapsyon, nananatili pong tiwala ang Pangulo,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>The Palace also said they will support any investigation to be initiated on Senator Ping Lacson&#x27;s claims that Cayetano has inserted billions of pesos worth of infrastructure project.</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/OS4Bo9LELCg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></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/nDKG_vXF7z4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Monday challenged reporters to ask Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano if he has already liquidated the billions of funds spent for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.</p>

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Monday challenged reporters to ask Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano if he has already liquidated the billions of funds spent for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Palace asks Cayetano about 2019 SEA Games liquidation

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Palace asks Cayetano about 2019 SEA Games liquidation

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 20, 2026 03:34 PM PHT

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Updated July 20, 2026 03:39 PM PHT

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