Duterte wants probe into SEA Games mess

BUSAN — President Rodrigo Duterte wants an investigation of the issues hounding the Philippines' hosting of this year's Southeast Asian Games, including claims that the blunders of organizers that are now embarrassing the country stemmed from corruption.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte was "displeased" when he heard about the experiences of foreign athletes who were not fed properly and who had to endure transportation and hotel accommodation woes after their arrival in the Philippines.

"There were allegations of fraud that appeared in newspapers and he does not like that. He wants to investigate that. He does not tolerate corruption," Panelo said in a chance interview Wednesday here.

READ: Disaster in the making? Volunteers cry foul as Philippines' SEA Games hosting nears

Panelo, who earlier claimed that the messy reception of some athletes was "not that serious," said the probe would cover all organizers, including House Speaker and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee head Alan Cayetano. The Office of the President may conduct the investigation, he added. It would also look into all aspects of the hosting, including the construction of a controversial cauldron that costs at least P45 million.

Asked whether heads would roll because of the mess, Panelo replied: "The president said if there is (corruption), they should be accountable."

Among the problems plaguing the SEA Games organizers are the confusion in the billeting and transportation of some athletes, insufficient food, the failure to provide halal food to Muslim athletes, the unfinished game venues, media center, and players' facilities.

READ: Philippine agency on Muslim rights says SEA Games organizers ignored halal food offer

PHISGOC has apologized for the glitches and has vowed to "do better next time."

Cayetano, however, sought to downplay the criticisms against his group, saying other countries who hosted athletic events also experienced problems. While promising not to make excuses for the mess, Cayetano said opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon was partly to blame for supposedly delaying the passage of the 2019 budget.

Drilon has disputed the claim, saying the delay in the passage of this year's budget was caused by "unconstitutional insertions" in the budget.

Panelo admitted that government could not do anything to private citizens who volunteered to help organize the athletic event.

"But if those involved are from the government, that’s incompetence. If there is incompetence, there is corruption," he added.

READ: Pinay booters take matters into own hands amid SEA Games food issues

Panelo said SEA Games organizers should learn from their mistakes, saying what they have done is "not a good example of how a country should host."

"Perhaps they should now accept the help being offered by the agencies considering that it seems that they were not able to do their assigned task for themselves," he added.