Marcos respects Magalong's decision to quit as ICI special adviser

Malacañang on Monday said President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. respects the decision of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to resign as special adviser of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. 

''Natanggap na po at iginagalang po ng Pangulo ang naging desisyon po ni Mayor Magalong,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said at a briefing.

(It has been received and the President respects the decision of Mayor Magalong.) 

''Kinikilala naman po ng ating Pangulo ang kagalingan ni Mayor Magalong pero ang kanya pong pagbibitaw bilang special adviser ay pinapalangin naman po na hindi ito makakaapekto sa magiging trabaho ng ICI,'' she added. 

(The President recognizes Mayor Magalong's skills and we're praying that his resignation as special adviser won't affect the ICI's work.) 

Magalong's resignation came after Malacañang announced that Marcos would have the legal team study if his designation was proper. 

Castro, meanwhile, said Magalong's help would still be welcome for the body.

In his resignation letter to Marcos, Magalong said, "The Palace's pronouncements concerning my designation, which run contrary to the terms of my appointment, have undermined the role and mandate entrusted to me."

"Combined with circumstances that already cast doubt on the independence of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, it has become clear that my continued service is no longer tenable," Magalong said.

Marcos earlier said he chose Magalong as special adviser of the ICI because of his integrity and track record as an investigator.

Magalong was a former chief of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and was the top investigator of the Mamasapano incident in 2015. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News