Resign agad.

 🕊️ Integrity Should Not Be Penalized: A Reflection on Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s Resignation from the ICI

By Dr. Tony Leachon, Independent Health Reform Advocate

I had the privilege of working with Mayor Benjamin Magalong during the most difficult days of the pandemic. He was not only the mayor of Baguio City—he was also a key adviser to the national COVID-19 task force. In every meeting, every decision, and every crisis, I saw a man who embodied courage, honesty, and tireless dedication to public service.

He was the kind of leader who didn’t seek attention—he earned respect. He led not just a city, but a movement among mayors for good governance. And when he was appointed to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), it felt like the country had finally placed integrity where it belonged: at the center of reform.

But now, he has resigned. And that resignation is both regrettable and revealing.

Appointed by President Marcos for his reputation as a “detailed investigator,” Magalong brought to the ICI not just technical skill, but moral weight. His track record in law enforcement, his governance in Baguio, and his quiet refusal to play politics made him a rare figure in public service—respected across partisan lines.

And yet, instead of being protected, he was reviewed.

Malacañang’s decision to assess his appointment for “possible conflicts of interest” due to his elected position may be legally sound—but it is politically tone-deaf. The real conflict is not Magalong’s dual role. The real conflict is between truth and power.

If the ICI is to succeed in exposing padded contracts, ghost projects, and systemic manipulation of infrastructure funds, it needs investigators who are not just competent—but courageous. Magalong was both.

His resignation, though dignified, is a loss to the commission and to the country. It sends a chilling message: that even the most principled public servants are vulnerable to institutional doubt when their integrity threatens entrenched interests.

We ask:

• Was the review truly about legal propriety—or was it a signal to slow down investigations that were getting too close to the truth?

• Why was Magalong’s appointment not fortified with legal safeguards from the start, knowing his elected status?

• What does this say about the administration’s commitment to transparency, if its most trusted appointees are left exposed?

Mayor Magalong’s resignation may be correct in form—but it is wrong in spirit. It reflects a system that punishes clarity and rewards ambiguity.

This job was never meant to last forever. But the failure to unveil the truth will be a regret that lasts far longer.

If we are to restore faith in our institutions, we must protect those who seek the truth—not push them out when the truth becomes inconvenient.

Let this be a wake-up call—not just for the ICI, but for every citizen who still believes that integrity should be honored, not reviewed.

Tony Leachon