SENATORS Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, and Robin Padilla raised alarm on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, over the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) sudden probe into the 2019 SEA Games Clark complex.
They took to the Senate floor to slam NBI Director Melvin Matibag, accusing him of trying to intimidate the Senate impeachment court.
Matibag announced on Tuesday, July 14, an NBI probe into the 2019 SEA Games infrastructure projects, specifically targeting the New Clark City sports complex, over P10 billion in alleged unliquidated funds and bidding anomalies. Matibag is scheduled to take the Senate impeachment court witness stand on July 20, 2026.
Senator Alan said the investigation clearly pertains to him as he was the chairman of the 2019 SEA Games Organizing Committee. He called Matibag’s announcement a "Marites accusation" meant to chill the court.
"For the record, go ahead and investigate. That has been investigated many, many times... [But] wag tayong pumayag na someone like Director Matibag [to try and break us]. Director, hindi mo kami natibag. So wag mo kaming itry itibag," said Senator Alan.
Padilla questioned if the sudden probe was a targeted political hit, drawing comparisons to the detention of Senator Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta.
"Hindi ko po alam kung ito ba ay eksakto lang or ito po ba ay sinasadya?... Dapat po ba tayong mangamba? Hindi po ba tayo ay malayang korte?" he said.
Disturbed by the timing, Senator Pia questioned the NBI director's real motives.
“Clearly from the statements of Matibag, malaki daw ang kasong ito. Naimbestigahan na ba nya? Paano nya nalaman na malaking kaso to? What is the intention here? To distract the minority leader? It is clearly the intention. He is distracting us from our job. He could do it quietly, so what's the purpose?” said Senator Pia.
"Why would you allow a director who is going to be called a witness brag that he wants to investigate?... Is he trying to intimidate us? Those actions are not acceptable," she added.
At her motion, the Senate impeachment court played the video of Matibag's announcement to scrutinize his intent.
Matibag is scheduled to testify as a prosecution witness on Monday, July 20. He earlier requested to appear before the impeachment court this week, but the request was denied after the court noted that he was not included in the list of witnesses submitted by the prosecution panel.
The court later scheduled his appearance on July 20, before he leaves for Singapore to attend a summit. (LRM)