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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ombudsman to reopen files on 2019 SEA Games sports facilities project, says no double jeopardy applies

Ombudsman to reopen files on 2019 SEA Games sports facilities project, says no double jeopardy applies

Published Jul 17, 2026 06:08 pm

At A Glance

  • He said the OMB would first review the records before deciding on its next course of action.
(JEL SANTOS/MB PHOTO)
(JEL SANTOS/MB PHOTO)
Saying that there is no double jeopardy because no charges were ever filed, the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) said it will reopen the files on the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games sports facilities project to review possible violations.
“Just this morning, I asked my staff to get the whole file from 2021 to see and look at possible violations. We’re opening it up again,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said on Friday, July 17.
He said the OMB would first review the records before deciding on its next course of action.
“Pag-aaralan muna namin ‘yung ginawa ng office dati noong 2021 kasi walang double jeopardy. Wala namang na-charge noon, so titingnan natin (We will first study what the office did in 2021 because there is no double jeopardy. No one was charged then, so we will take another look at it),” he said.
(MB FILE PHOTO)
(MB FILE PHOTO)
Asked to comment on Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who served as chairperson of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) in 2019, Remulla simply said: “There’s a time for everything.”
Recently, Cayetano challenged the Marcos administration after announcing that the Senate Minority bloc would resume its investigation into the alleged anomalous flood control projects while the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) continues its probe into the alleged irregularities in the bidding and funding of the 2019 SEA Games projects.
Earlier, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau would create a task force to investigate the alleged anomalies in the 2019 SEA Games after receiving what he described as “new information and documents” involving PHISGOC.
On Thursday, July 16, the Ombudsman confirmed that the complaints filed against Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and three others over the construction of sports facilities for the 2019 SEA Games had been dismissed in December 2021 due to insufficient evidence.
(MB FILE PHOTO)
(MB FILE PHOTO)
Assistant Ombudsman Jose Dominic “Mico” Clavano IV said the graft and malversation complaints filed by Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) against Dizon and three others in October 2020 had already been resolved.
Aside from Dizon, the other respondents were BCDA senior vice president for legal services Elvira Estanislao, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) lawyer Elpidio Vega, and Isaac David, director and representative of Malaysian construction firm MTD Capital Berhad for the SEA Games facilities at New Clark City in Tarlac.
In its complaint, the CCW alleged that Dizon and the three other respondents violated Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and committed malversation of public funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.
The complaint alleged that the three public officials conspired in awarding MTD Capital Berhad a P8.51-billion joint venture agreement (JVA) for the construction of the sports facilities despite what it described as several irregularities, including the lack of public bidding, the absence of budget appropriation, and unauthorized “insertions and modifications” to the original contract.

Related Tags

Office of the Ombudsman 2019 SEA Games sports facilities project double jeopardy Jesus Crispin Remulla PHISGOC Alan Peter Cayetano Vince Dizon New Clark City
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