Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. INQUIRER file photo / EDWIN BACASMAS
MANILA, Philippines — Former Speaker and Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday dared Senator Risa Hontiveros to resign if she does not find any irregularities regarding the construction of the sports facilities Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Hontiveros earlier called for a full-scale probe investigation into the P9.5-billion construction of Tarlac’s SEA Games facilities, noting a possible “remarkable degree of collusion.”
“‘Yun ang hamon ko kay Senator Risa, mag imbestiga ka, kapag wala kang nakita, mag-resign ka, kapag may nakita ka, ikulong mo ako,” Cayetano said in an interview.
(That’s my challenge to Senator Risa: investigate. If you don’t find any irregularity, resign; if you find some, put me in jail.)
Hontiveros called for a probe into the joint venture agreement (JVA) entered into by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) with Malaysian developer MTD Capital Berhad to construct sports facilities in New Clark City.
According to Hontiveros, there are “signs” that the JVA between BCDA and the Malaysian firm is a “fake joint venture.”
Cayetano said the government “followed the procurement law” in the construction of the facility.
He likewise denied using the athletes to defend an excuse to sweep the issue of possible irregularities in SEA Games under the rug.
“Makikita po natin na lahat na lang pwedeng ipolitika. Hindi po namin ginagamit ang atleta, ang sinasabi namin, kung may galit sila kay Vince Dizon, may galit sila kay Alan Cayetano, ako ang tirahin nila,” the former House Speaker said.
(We can see that all can fall into politicking. We are not using the athletes as an excuse. We are saying that if they have axes to grind with Vince Dizon or with me, they should send the punches straight to me.)
“Bakit nila titirahin yung SEA Games na badge of honor sa aming mga atleta,” he added.
(Why will they criticize the SEA Games that is the badge of honor of athletes.) [ac]