NBI investigates alleged irregularities in New Clark Sports Hub linked to 2019 SEA Games

The National Bureau of Investigation is set to investigate alleged irregularities in the New Clark City Sports Hub in New Clark City, which served as a venue for the 30th SEA Games in 2019.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, July 14, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau came across information about the project while visiting the site of the planned 70-hectare NBI Academy in the city.

He said investigators discovered that around P10 billion that was linked to the project had not been properly liquidated. The NBI is also examining allegations that a private contractor received the money through congressional insertions without undergoing public bidding.

“We have something to look at. We need to investigate something because when we got there, it turns out that billions of pesos came in here that were unliquidated,” Matibag told reporters in Filipino.

“And there is a private company here that was involved that paid P10 billion, and the payment was insertion, through insertion in the GAA that was not paid. We will investigate this. This is also a big case,” he added.

The NBI chief added that the bureau will revisit the controversial 2019 SEA Games cauldron as part of its broader review of projects linked to the sporting event. In 2019, it was reported that the cauldron used for the event cost P55 million.

According to the New Clark City website, local architecture firm, ROYAL PINEDA + (formerly BUDJI+ROYAL) was commissioned by the Bases Conversion Development Authority to work on the New Clark City Sports Hub, which includes infrastuctures like the New Clark City Athletics Stadium and the New Clark City Aquatic Center.