Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 29) – The country’s health chief plans to convince embattled Contact Tracing czar Benjie Magalong to keep his post, despite his “irrevocable” resignation.
During a chance interview with reporters Friday afternoon, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he intends to try and talk to the Baguio City mayor, who was tasked to lead efforts in tracing contacts of those who contracted the coronavirus.
“Kakausapin ko pa si Contact Tracing czar, si Mayor Magalong, at I will try to convince him to reconsider his resignation,” Duque said.
[Translation: I will talk to the Contact Tracing czar, Mayor Magalong, and I will try to convince him to reconsider his resignation.]
Duque had nothing but praises for Magalong, who was appointed as the government’s contact tracing czar last July 2020.
“Ayoko din siyang bumitiw sa kanyang posisyon dahil napakalaki ng kanyang tulong sa ating pangkalahatang pandemic response. He is a very, very important component of our pandemic response,” Duque said.
[Translation: I don’t want him (Magalong) to resign because he had great contributions to our pandemic response.]
Duque adds, Magalong helped “a lot” in training local chief executives, city and provincial health officers, as well as complementing the efforts of local surveillance officers.
Magalong earlier wrote National Task Force chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. to hand in his resignation, saying “several lapses in protocol were committed” during an incident which violated quarantine protocols in Baguio City.
The incident in question was eventologist Tim Yap’s birthday party which was held despite strict mass gathering rules. The event has since drawn widespread backlash.
“I am committed to hold myself accountable and do what is necessary to rectify this misstep,” Magalong wrote. This resignation was not accepted, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
RELATED: Baguio mayor Magalong offers to quit as contact tracing czar, but resignation not accepted Palace
Before Magalong became Baguio City mayor in 2019, he was formerly a police Major General who became the country’s fourth-highest police official. He also once headed the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group or CIDG.
His strategy as Contact Tracing czar involved the use of electronic tools in a manner similar to police investigations, such as COVID-19 data collection tool, a GIS (geographical information system) platform, and a Link Analysis Tool.
CNN Philippines messaged Magalong for comment on Duque’s remarks, but he has yet to respond as of publishing time.
