Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said he resigned as special adviser of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) after being dismayed by remarks made by Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro in a recent press conference.
In an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por DOs, Magalong recalled first watching the press conference through a video sent to him.
“Unang-una noong napanood ko ‘yon, pinadala kasi ng anak ko sa akin ‘yong post ng presscon ni Usec. Castro at ako’y nagulat doon sa kanyang pahayag na talagang contradicting doon sa mga previous statement,” he said.
The mayor explained that he could accept clarifications that he was not an investigator, that his role was only as a legal adviser, or even that there was a potential conflict with him being both a mayor and an ICI adviser.
“Pwede ko pang tanggapin ‘yong isang pahayag na wala akong authority over the PNP, CIDG kasi totoo naman ‘yon eh ‘no,” Magalong added.
But he said what he could not accept was Castro’s mention of alleged irregularities in a Baguio tennis court project.
“Pero ‘yong may pasabi ka pa na may anomalya ‘yong aming tennis court project tapos dahil ginawa ng Discaya eh sobra naman ‘yon. Parang pinapalabas na ako’y involved sa corruption. Nakaka-insulto ‘yon. Kaya naisip ko na ibig sabihin nito ayaw na nila talaga akong mag-imbestiga,” he stressed.
Magalong further revealed that on September 3, he was initially offered the chairmanship of the ICI but he declined.
“Noong September 3 kasi tinawagan ako ni Sec. Vince. Sinabi niya sa akin na I’m being offered the position of head of the commission… Noong binanggit sa akin na I have to resign as mayor sabi ko I cannot resign as mayor, ‘wag na lang ako isama diyan. Tutulong na lang ako kung anong maibigay kong tulong,” he said.
He believes his resignation was linked to sensitive findings uncovered in his work, stating: “Siguro hindi muna ako magsasalita. Pero, ako, confident ako na I struck some nerves.”
“Kasi nga kung papakinggan mo ‘yong statement ni Usec. Castro she was groping for words and she was really not prepared… Something is not right here. Sabi ko there’s more than [what] meets the eye,” Magalong added, suggesting that the press conference was rushed and that the remarks against him may have been influenced by forces unsettled by his investigative efforts.
Magalong also pointed to funding anomalies in Mindoro, where appropriations surged from just a few billion pesos under the National Expenditure Program to almost ₱21 billion in the General Appropriations Act.
“Nakakalungkot isipin na naging cottage industry. Naging livelihood program ng mga corrupt na politiko, itong mga contractor at DPWH officials,” he said.
