Magalong on Castro remark amid ICI exit: ‘Like I didn’t have right to investigate’

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Tuesday criticized a remark made by Palace Press Officer Claire Castro amid his resignation as a special adviser for the Independent Commission on Infrastructure.

Speaking to reporters in Manila, Magalong expressed frustration at Castro's statements that supposedly cast doubt on his role in the commission. 

“Nakita niyo naman, kumbaga parang wala akong karapatang mag-imbestiga. Ayun ang message eh doon sa nilabas ni Usec. Claire na presscon niya. Kumbaga sinabihan ako na, ‘wala kang karapatan mag-imbestiga kasi special adviser ka.’ Tapos kung ano-ano pa sinabi sa akin,” he said.

(You saw it, it's like I didn't have the right to investigate. That was Usec. Claire's message in the press conference. I was told, 'You don't have the right to investigate because you are a special adviser.' And then she said all sorts of other things about me.) 

“Kung walang mag-i-imbestiga, anong mangyayari doon sa mga kaso sa labas? Nakatutok sila sa mga high-profile na mga investigation na ginagawa nila. So kailangan talaga may gumagalaw sa labas para maintidihan nila. Doon natin sila mahahabol,” Magalong added. 

(If no one will investigate, what will happen to the cases outside? They are focused on the high-profile investigations they are doing. So, we really need someone acting outside so they can understand. That's how we'll be able to catch them.) 

His resignation came after Malacañang announced that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. would have the legal team study if Magalong's designation was proper. Castro said then that the President wanted to avoid a conflict of interest as Magalong is also serving as Baguio’s mayor. 

In his resignation letter, Magalong said that he has never neglected his role as local chief executive despite being a special adviser in the ICI. 

“Let it also be stated that 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 said. 

Further, the Baguio City mayor reiterated that he thinks he “struck a nerve.” He added that Castro could have talked to him privately. 

“Ako sa tingin ko talaga, yung sinabi kong ‘I struck a nerve’ o kaya several nerves. May tinamaan ako. Kaya umaaray tapos nasa panic mode kaya biglang nagkaroon ng klaseng presscon, na bigla-biglaan, hindi man lang ako sinabihan, hindi man lang sinabihan si Sec. Vince. Binastos pa ako. Ano ba naman yung tawagin na lang ako at sinabihan na lang ako,” he said. 

(I really think, what I said about ‘I struck a nerve’ or several nerves. I hit someone. That's why they're crying out and are in panic mode, which is why there was suddenly this kind of press conference, all of a sudden. I wasn't even informed, Sec. Vince wasn't even informed. I was even disrespected. What would it have taken to just call me and talk to me personally.) 

GMA News Online is trying to reach out to Castro for a comment. 

New ICI adviser

Meanwhile, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said he will have a meeting with the new ICI adviser, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr.

“So nandito kaming tatlo ngayon para mag-usap kami para sa way forward ngayon na nandito na si General Jun,” he said.

(So the three of us are here today to talk about the way forward now that General Jun is here.)

“Kailangan kasi bilisan natin lalo pa ang mga kababayan natin naiinip na. Lahat tayo galit na. Gusto natin mapanagot ang dapat managot. So yan ang pag-uusapan namin ngayong hapon kung paano natin mapapabilis ang proseso at sa susunod na araw din i-introduce ko si General Jun sa members ng ICI,” he added.

(We need to hurry up, especially since our countrymen are already impatient. We are all angry. We want accountability. So that is what we will talk about this afternoon on how we can speed up the process and the next day I will introduce General Jun to the members of ICI.) — Vince Angelo Ferreras with reports by Joviland Rita/BM, GMA Integrated News