President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed his legal team to review the appointment of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as special adviser to the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI), amid concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after labor groups raised concerns that Magalong might affect the commission’s independence, citing a supposedly anomalous Baguio City tennis court project linked to St. Gerrard Construction of the embattled Discaya contractor couple.
In a press briefing on Friday, Sept. 26, Castro said that while the President values Magalong’s contributions, he does not want the ICI’s independence compromised by concerns over impartiality or constitutional limits.
“Kung may issue po tungkol sa conflict of interest at paglabag sa Konstitusyon dahil nagdadalawa pong trabaho siya, ang sabi po ng Pangulo ay ipapaaral na ito sa legal team at kung saan po siya maaaring maisama, or saan po siya nararapat, doon po siguro siya pwedeng isama,” she said.
The Palace Press Officer clarified that Magalong was appointed only as a special adviser and not as an investigator.
“Wala po siyang power over the PNP and CIDG dahil ito po ay under sa DILG,,” she said.
Castro added that the President also wants to ensure that Magalong can still prioritize his duties as Baguio City mayor, amid reports that his role in the ICI has limited his time for local governance.
“Hindi po gugustuhin ang Pangulong Marcos Jr. na makaligtaan ni Mayor Magalong ang mga kababayan natin sa Baguio City. At kailangang unahin po rin ang mga kababayan natin sa Baguio City dahil siya po ay special adviser,” she said.
She noted that the legal team is expected to provide recommendations on whether Magalong should be reassigned or replaced, depending on what would best preserve the commission’s independence. (Argyll Geducos)
