Duterte doubts SEA Games corruption but asks: ‘What happened to the money?’

MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte wondered aloud what happened to the funds allocated for the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games amid logistical issues hounding the regional meet.

“Personally, there was a lot of money poured into this activity now. And I suppose with that kind of money you can run things smoothly. Apparently, may mga palpak (there are blunders),” Duterte told reporters on Thursday, Nov. 28, in Malacanang.

“If there’s the money there, what happened to the money?”

Logistical troubles marred the Philippine hosting of the SEA Games as foreign athletes started to arrive and train for the games, which will be held in different venues in Metro Manila, Clark, Subic and other areas from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

But Duterte said he was not focusing on corruption in the SEA Games because the people leading it are “men of integrity.”

“I am sure (House Speaker Alan Peter) Cayetano is not involved in corruption,” Duterte said, adding that the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission leaderships were also unlikely to be involved in corruption.

Nonetheless, the President said he would still order an audit of the SEA Games budget as he surmised that “the money could have not been disbursed properly.”

Due to the reported blunders, Duterte even said that he would ask military planners to take over logistics for the games.

Edited by TSB