Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced his readiness to assist with any inquiry regarding suspected corruption tied to the building of sports amenities in New Clark City, Tarlac.
The sports hubs, which hosted events during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, came under fire after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag revealed that agency investigators secured records and intelligence suggesting potential irregularities.
The ongoing review focuses on assertions that the development bypassed public bidding protocols alongside discrepancies regarding contractor compensation.
Matibag explained that a private Malaysian enterprise oversaw construction and allegedly secured unusually rapid payouts. Furthermore, he highlighted grievances indicating that the development’s over ₱10-billion budget was backed via insertions within the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Dizon, the chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) during the project’s execution, expressed readiness to address the accusations head-on.
“I am confident because my conscience is clear,” said Dizon when asked about the issue after Matibag said the NBI will be investigating it.
Defending the initiative, Dizon underscored the international acclaim directed toward the sports venues during the regional tournament.
“The facilities gave pride to the Southeast Asian Games in 2019 and they were praised by other countries, they were praised by Singapore. This is the first time that we have world class facilities,” he added.
He further mentioned that the sites remain active hubs for national competitors and are presently utilized by attendees of the National Academy of Sports.
The NBI director disclosed last week that the agency had obtained documentation detailing the alleged project anomalies. The announcement drew reaction from Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who headed the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) during the 2019 games.
This is not the first time the New Clark City development has courted controversy, having previously drawn immense public backlash over a ₱50-million ceremonial cauldron built for the opening ceremonies.
Nevertheless, Dizon reiterated that he is hiding nothing, emphasizing that prior legal challenges against him regarding the hub were dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman in December 2021.
The Ombudsman subsequently verified that the complaints had indeed been thrown out.