Usec. Castro: I had nothing to do with Magalong's resignation

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro hit back at Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong for blaming her over his resignation as special adviser of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.

Castro stressed that the mayor voluntarily resigned from his post, noting that she had nothing to do with it.

''Sana po ay napanood niyang buo iyong ating press briefing. Pero ito pong isyu na ito ay paulit-ulit na at nasagot ko na po, pero hindi ko alam bakit paulit-ulit pa rin at parang hindi po nagkakaroon ng katapusan ang isyu na ito,'' Castro said at a press briefing Thursday.

(I hope he was able to watch our press briefing in full. I have repeatedly responded to this issue and I don't know why it is still being asked.)

''But anyway, this will be my last time to answer these issues. Unang-una po, hindi ko po saklaw ang kaniyang damdamin. Siya po ang boluntaryong nag-resign, hindi naman po siya pinagri-resign. Kung iyon po ang kaniyang naging desisyon, hindi ko rin po saklaw ang kaniyang pagdidesisyon,'' she added.

(But anyway, this will be my last time to answer these issues. First of all, I cannot control his feelings. It was him who voluntarily resigned, he was not asked to resign. If that was his decision, I can't control that.)

Frustration

In an interview on Tuesday, Magalong expressed his frustration over Castro’s remarks in a press conference, which, according to him, cast doubts on his role as special adviser of the ICI.

Magalong said Castro's remarks seemed to imply that he had no right to investigate the alleged anomalies in flood control projects.

''Nakita ninyo 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,'' Magalong said.

(It seems that I don't have the right to investigate. That's the message of Usec. Claire in her press conference. I was told that I have no right to investigate since I'm a special adviser.)

Magalong's 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 City mayor. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News