MANILA, Philippines — Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Pia Cayetano are expected to return to the Philippines this weekend, just as scrutiny surrounding their recent trip abroad coincides with ongoing investigations involving their brother, particularly the National Bureau of Investigation’s probe into alleged irregularities connected to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag said Friday that authorities had received information that the Cayetano siblings could arrive in the country either late Saturday, September 12, or Sunday, September 13.
Matibag said the senators had described their trip to Singapore as a vacation, while acknowledging that the timing of their departure had attracted public attention.
The Bureau of Immigration earlier confirmed that both senators had left the country. The agency said there were no hold-departure orders or derogatory records against either lawmaker that would have legally prevented them from leaving.
The BI, however, declined to disclose their specific itinerary, citing data-privacy rules.
Why the Cayetanos’ return is being watched
The senators’ trip comes as the NBI moves closer to recommending possible charges over alleged irregularities involving the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), which handled preparations for the 2019 SEA Games.
Alan Peter Cayetano served as chairman of PHISGOC during the games.
Matibag recently said Cayetano could potentially be included among the respondents in cases that the NBI intends to recommend to the Department of Justice.
According to the NBI chief, investigators are looking into Cayetano’s repeated identification of himself as PHISGOC chairman, despite questions over his formal position within the organization’s board.
The investigation has also focused on the controversial ₱55-million SEA Games cauldron.
The NBI said it found indications that the cauldron project involved multiple contractors and has been examining documents and witness testimony related to the transaction.
Matibag previously said the NBI had uncovered what it described as a possible double entry in payments and had been reviewing whether the cauldron’s actual cost was significantly lower than the amount involved in the contract.
The bureau has not yet announced a final criminal finding against Cayetano, and any potential charges would still have to undergo the appropriate legal process.
Immigration says trip was legally allowed
The Bureau of Immigration said the Cayetano siblings were legally permitted to leave the country because there were no existing hold-departure or derogatory orders against them at the time of their departure.
Their Senate colleagues have likewise said that senators generally do not need permission from the Senate leadership for personal trips abroad.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier said the siblings were abroad for health-related reasons and wished them well, while Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said personal travel does not require approval from his office.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said the trip itself was not an issue, particularly because neither Cayetano had been summoned by the Ombudsman in connection with the ongoing investigations.
Other investigations also draw attention
The controversy surrounding Alan Cayetano extends beyond the 2019 SEA Games probe.
The senator has also been linked to allegations involving infrastructure projects in Taguig City, where his family has a long-standing political base.
Lacson previously submitted documents and other evidence to the Ombudsman concerning alleged irregularities involving flood-control and other infrastructure projects in the city.
The Ombudsman has launched a fact-finding investigation into those allegations.
As of the latest reports, however, there was no indication that the Cayetano siblings were legally barred from leaving or returning to the Philippines.
What happens next?
The Cayetanos’ expected return comes at a potentially crucial point in the NBI’s investigation.
Matibag has indicated that the bureau is preparing to submit recommendations to the Department of Justice involving alleged irregularities in the 2019 SEA Games and that additional individuals could be included as respondents depending on the evidence gathered.
For now, the Cayetanos remain free to return to the country, and no final determination of criminal liability has been made against them in relation to the allegations.
Their expected arrival on September 12 or 13 could nevertheless put the siblings back in the spotlight as investigators move closer to deciding whether formal cases should be filed.
The key question now is whether their return will simply mark the end of a short trip—or coincide with the next major development in the investigations surrounding them.
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