Magalong steps down as ICI special adviser

MANILA, Philippines — Two weeks after being named adviser and investigator of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced yesterday his resignation from the three-member body formed by President Marcos to investigate anomalies in flood control projects.

Magalong confirmed relinquishing his post yesterday after his letter, which his staff described as a “private communication” with President Marcos, circulated Friday night.

The mayor said he is giving up his position in the ICI to spare it from doubts related to his appointment.

“This was not an easy choice,” Magalong said in a statement, “but one I believe is necessary.”

On Friday, Palace press secretary Claire Castro told reporters that Magalong’s appointment was under review by the President’s legal team amid concerns about his dual role as Baguio mayor and ICI adviser.

The discovery of a P110-million tennis court and parking building in Baguio City, contracted to St. Gerrard Construction of the controversial Discaya family, has further complicated Magalong’s situation.

In his letter to the President, Magalong scored Malacañang for statements that have “undermined” his role in the ICI. “It has become clear that my continued service is no longer tenable,” Magalong told Marcos.

Acknowledging these “recent developments,” Magalong decided to step back but asserted he has always been above board.

“Once and for all, I would like to make it clear that there is no conflict of interest in my role,” he said, but adding, “Recent developments have cast doubt on the independence of the commission.”

“I refuse to allow these doubts to weaken the ICI and its mandate,” Magalong stressed. “That is why I have chosen to step aside, not to abandon the fight, but to protect the very integrity of the fight.”

Calling Magalong’s resignation “unfortunate,” Presidential Communications Office chief Dave Gomez has assured the public that the work of the ICI would not be hampered.

“The demand of the Filipino people from the ICI is higher than any one person,” he said.

“The commission, made up of distinguished professionals with unassailable integrity, has hit the ground running since Day 1. Let’s allow them to do their job and deliver on their mandate,” he added.

Hours before news of his resignation broke, Magalong apologized to his constituents and shared his thoughts on the depths of corruption in government.

Magalong subtly admitted neglecting his role as mayor of Baguio, given the gargantuan task of investigating anomalous flood control projects in the Philippines.

“I’ve never been so busy in my entire life. Only now,” he said Friday night during an awarding ceremony at Camp John Hay for Baguio employees.

“I would like to apologize to each and every one of you if I cannot perform my task as your mayor of the city of Baguio. It’s not an easy task, believe me,” Magalong added.

“I can only bow my head and express my frustration,” he said during the awards ceremony, adding, “Sometimes, I think about the safety of my family.”

Long-term fight

The Baguio mayor told his subordinates – and the public at large – to endure the arduous task of dismantling corruption that he said has become systemic, highly organized and highly syndicated.

“Let us not allow this passion to address corruption to be short-lived; it should be a long-term engagement,” he said.

Magalong added, “Let us not let them steal the future of our youth. Let us not let them steal the future of our country.”

He maintained that he had never abandoned his position as Baguio City mayor. “I have not neglected, nor will I ever neglect, my primary responsibility to the people of Baguio, whose welfare and interests remain at the core of my public service,” he wrote.

The three-term mayor earlier assured his constituents that his responsibilities at the ICI “will not affect my mandate.”

But Magalong couldn’t hide how overwhelming this challenge had become. In an interview with GMA Integrated News during the Sept. 21 Trillion Peso March, he acknowledged for the first time that he had neglected some responsibilities as Baguio mayor.

“The public is watching and observing the results of our investigation, so this is a big challenge for us. We cannot sleep anymore because we have to hit the ground running,” he said, as he admitted weeping every time he’s alone pondering on the magnitude of the country’s problem.

Magalong has been at the forefront of the government’s fight against corruption in flood control projects, earning a reputation for being a “good investigator,” as Marcos put it.

In picking the mayor as ICI adviser, the President recalled his work during the probe on the deadly Mamasapano encounter in 2015 that killed 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force.

“That’s when I came to know of him and saw that he has integrity,” Marcos said of Magalong who, at the time, was chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group.

“He chose to keep his mayorship, I don’t blame him, but nonetheless, we can use his talent,” Marcos said.

Over the past two weeks, Magalong and Public Works chief Vince Dizon have been crisscrossing the country, inspecting alleged ghost and substandard flood works.

Just last Thursday, Magalong likened a P96.5-million concrete revetment in Davao Occidental to a “crime scene” after discovering that construction had only begun a month ago, despite being fully paid in October 2022.

Vigilance

The Baguio City mayor vowed to keep fighting against corruption. “I will continue this crusade with the same resolve I have carried in every battle I have faced,” he said.

He urged Filipinos to remain vigilant as they go through a long and arduous fight against corruption.

“Change will not happen overnight,” he said. “As long as we remain vigilant, as long as we continue to resist and as long as we keep faith in our country, then we will prevail.”

In Baguio City, Magalong’s resignation was met with mixed reactions. Activist Gelo Lagasca said it was right for him to resign, but sad there was “too much drama.”

Even if the mayor is no longer part of the ICI, he should still expose what he knows about corruption in public works, Lagasca said.

A city legal office lawyer said Magalong’s resignation from the ICI was “my city’s gain.”

One Joel Ramos praised Magalong’s integrity, while another activist, Rob Ocampo, accused the Palace of silencing him to hide corruption. “Malacañang only wants half-truths.”

Construction worker Allan Reyes said quitting was like backing down, while vendor Maricel Santos argued that “public service means facing the problem, not walking away.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” said student Ella Maranan. “I looked up to him, but now I’m just sad” about the mayor’s decision to resign from the ICI.

The Federation of Free Workers welcomed his resignation, saying it is “the right thing to do” and “is also good for the ICI as it removes the perception that the investigation is only a ‘part-time pursuit’.” — Alexis Romero, Artemio Dumlao, Rhodina Villanueva