The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has formed ‘Task Force Cash Cow’ to investigate the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc), according to Director Melvin Matibag.
This comes amid the NBI’s ongoing investigation into the alleged funding irregularities of a sports complex built in New Clark City, Tarlac, which was used in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
In an ambush interview on Thursday, Matibag said the task force comprises the NBI’s Public Corruption Division, Special Action Unit, the Office of the Director, and the bureau’s field officers.
Matibag noted that initial findings showed that Phisgoc received around P6.7 billion in government funds, specifically from the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the 2019 SEA Games.
‘That’s government funds that went to Phisgoc,’ he noted.
According to Matibag, the NBI will write to the Commission on Audit (COA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ‘to check on the documentation.’
Matibag said that if adding the other funds that Phisgoc accepted from the private sector, the committee’s budget may reach over P10 billion.
‘That’s why we’ll be looking at BIR records. We’ll ask the assistance of COA. And of course, that’s the SEC. In the submissions, they have to submit all the financial statements because they’re registered under the SEC law,’ the NBI director said.
Around seven former Phisgoc officials subpoenaed by the NBI are expected to appear before the bureau on Monday and Tuesday, instead of this Friday as Matibag initially announced, ‘to give them enough time to appear.’
The former officials who were subpoenaed include:
Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara – Phisgoc chair
Dexter Estacio – Phisgoc chief financial officer
John Lester Buenconsejo – Phisgoc corporate secretary
Matibag recently said that Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano would also be subpoenaed should the former Phisgoc officials implicate him during their questioning.
He also said the NBI seeks to verify why the senator’s name was not listed on the board of directors even though he recently declared that he served as chairperson of the committee that organized the 2019 SEA Games.