Castro to Magalong: Stop sowing intrigue

Metro Manila, Philippines - Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro urged Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to stop sowing intrigue following his resignation as special adviser to the Independent Commission on Infrastructure, insisting that he quit voluntarily and was never asked to step down.

In a press briefing, Castro addressed Magalong’s earlier remarks that her previous statements made him feel stripped of his authority to investigate.

Earlier this week, Magalong said in an interview: “Kumbaga, parang wala akong karapatang mag-imbestiga, iyon ang message doon sa inilabas ni Usec. Claire sa presscon niya. Kumbaga, sinabihan ako na wala kang karapatang mag-imbestiga kasi special adviser ka, tapos kung anu-ano pa ang sinabi sa akin.”

[Translation: It’s as if I had no right to investigate — that’s the message I got from Usec. Claire’s press conference. It’s like I was told I had no authority to investigate because I’m just a special adviser, and other things were said about me.]

Castro pushed back, saying she had already clarified the issue several times.

“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,” she said.

[Translation: I hope he watched the entire press briefing. This issue has been repeatedly addressed, yet it keeps being brought up as if it never ends.]

The palace official said Magalong’s decision to leave his post was entirely his own.

“Hindi ko po saklaw ang kaniyang damdamin. Siya po ang boluntaryong nag-resign, hindi naman po siya pinagri-resign,” she said.

[Translation: I do not control his feelings. He resigned voluntarily — he was never asked to resign.]

Castro clarified that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had designated Magalong only as a special adviser, not as an investigator — a role Magalong allegedly assumed on his own.

“Ang sinabi lamang po ni Mayor Magalong ay he just presumed that he is an investigator. Maaaring ganoon ang mangyayari kung siya po ay nag-resign bilang mayor. Pero ang Pangulo na nga rin po ang nagsabi na pinili niya pong mag-stay at manatiling mayor ng Baguio City,” she said.

[Translation: Mayor Magalong merely presumed he was an investigator. That could have been possible had he resigned as mayor, but the president himself said Magalong chose to remain as Baguio City mayor.]

Castro urged the public, and Magalong himself, to avoid spreading intrigue and unfounded speculation.

“Sana po, maiwasan na po rin sana natin iyong mga guessing game na nagbibigay ng intriga lalung-lalo na sa aking naging trabaho,” she said.

[Translation: I hope we can stop playing guessing games that only create intrigue, especially about my work.]

“Huwag po niyang bigyan ng intriga na mayroong nag-utos sa akin na ibang tao… Kung sinuman iyong sinasabi niyang iyon, kung may alam siya kung sino ang nag-utos sa akin at hindi ang Pangulo… ipalitaw niya po dahil alam kong wala siyang mapapalitaw dahil iyon ay walang katotohanan,” she said.

[Translation: Let’s not create intrigue suggesting someone else instructed me. If he knows anyone who supposedly told me what to say other than the president, then let him name that person — but I know he can’t, because it’s not true.]