Marcos orders legal team to review Magalong's role in ICI

President Marcos has ordered his legal team to study the appointment of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as special adviser to the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI), following questions raised over possible conflicts of interest.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS and TRIXEE ROSEL

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after labor groups raised concerns that Magalong might affect the commission's independence, citing a supposedly anomalous Baguio City tennis court project linked to St. Gerrard Construction of the embattled Discaya contractor couple.

In a press briefing on Friday, Sept. 26, Castro said that, while the President values Magalong's contributions, he does not want the ICI's independence compromised by concerns over impartiality or constitutional limits.

"Kung may issue po tungkol sa conflict of interest at paglabag sa Konstitusyon dahil nagdadalawang pong trabaho siya, ang sabi po ng Pangulo ay ipapaaral na ito sa legal team at kung saan po siya maaaring maisama, or saan po siya nararapat, doon po siguro siya pwedeng isama (If there are issues of conflict of interest or constitutional violations due to holding dual roles, the President said the legal team will study where he should properly be placed)," she said.