BAGUIO CITY — Mayor Benjamin Magalong expressed his frustration over his role in the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), believing that recent actions by Malacañang indicated he had lost the confidence of those in power.

Magalong has resigned as special adviser to the ICI. The commission is tasked with probing the corruption and other irregularities in the implementation of government infrastructure, including flood control, projects.

He tendered his resignation after Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro announced that the Palace was reviewing his designation and questioning his actions, citing a conflict of interest and saying that as “just an adviser,” he should not have been actively involved in the investigations.

“They don’t need to remove me anymore. I have honor — that cannot be bought at any price,” Magalong said.

He said that before they could fire him under the pretense of a “reassignment,” he would be a step ahead of them and resign. He said this was about his reputation.

He said a “reassignment” was a tactic meant to avoid public suspicion.

The mayor submitted his resignation to the Office of the President on Friday morning.

Field inspections questioned

The core of the conflict, according to Magalong, was his involvement in field inspections of “ghost projects” alongside Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon.

“I had no other goal except to help in the investigation and to expose the truth. Even as an adviser to the ICI, I thought it best to join the field inspections for actual validation. What’s wrong with that?” he said.

Upon realizing the administration’s apparent disapproval, Magalong concluded that his position was no longer tenable.

“What else was there for me to do if they didn’t trust me? Why place me there in the first place?” he said.

He said the administration’s focus on his removal distracted from the larger goal. “They would rather remove me than go after the masterminds of this grand robbery. I don’t get it.”

Integrity preserved

In his official statement posted online, Magalong clarified that his decision was not born of any conflict of interest between his role as Baguio City mayor and his work with the ICI, but rather to preserve the integrity of the commission amid what he described as “recent developments” casting doubt on its autonomy.

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

“Independence is the bedrock of accountability, and without it our credibility is compromised. I refuse to allow these doubts to weaken the ICI and its mandate. That is why I have chosen to step aside, not to abandon the fight, but to protect the very integrity of the fight,” he stressed.

Magalong, a retired police general and a key figure in previous high-profile investigations, including the Mamasapano massacre and the “ninja cops” scandal, as well as probes into pork barrel misuse, vowed to continue his anti-corruption crusade with the same resolve he brought to past battles.

Magalong’s resignation was a serious setback to the body’s credibility and to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s leadership, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) said.

The party described Magalong’s exit as a “terrible blow” that cast doubts on Malacañang’s sincerity after the Office of the President raised questions on the validity of Magalong’s appointment — an appointment it had approved.