IT’S NOT VERY often that local chief executives from various parts of the country come in droves and stand on the same ground.
In a statement farmed out to the members of the media, members of the so-called Mayors For Good Governance (M4GG) reaffirmed what looks more like an unequivocal support to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong whom they described as a “man of integrity.”
The statement was issued amid reports that “conflict of interest” hounding Magalong compelled President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to apply pressure on the retired police officer turned politician.
According to M4GG, Magalong, who has resigned as special adviser of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), came clean and left the ICI without a trace of corruption.
“Mayor Magalong cannot be bought, bullied or swayed by favors or threats,” reads part of the statement signed by over 60 local chief executives, citing the former ICI special adviser’s compass anchored on truth.”
The Baguio City mayor left earlier today for a much-needed break in South Korea after resigning from the ICI.
He however gave an assurance that he won’t be remiss in his responsibilities as local chief executive of Baguio City.
The group founded by Dumaguete City mayor Felipe Antonio ‘Ipe’ Remollo underscored the former police official’s accomplishments from being chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and as a public servant.
“As Mayor of Baguio, he has acted decisively to regulate overdevelopment, protect the city’s environment and confront corruption across Baguio and the Cordillera, always placing accountability above personal and political gain,” M4GG said.
“At the national level, he led the Board of Inquiry on the Mamasapano tragedy with independence, rejecting attempts to alter the final report. He courageously exposed the “ninja cops” controversy, prioritizing principle over personal or institutional loyalty,” the statement further reads.
The group reiterated “complete confidence” in Magalong, asserting that the mayor is “living proof that leaders of character still exist: those who put people above politics, justice above self-interest, and service above ambition.”