Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro on Thursday denied claims by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong that she triggered his resignation as special adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
In a press briefing, Castro said Magalong’s decision to step down was entirely voluntary and not the result of any directive from her office or elsewhere.
“I don’t have control over his emotions. He resigned voluntarily. He was not forced to resign,” Castro said. “If that was his decision, I also don’t have control over it,” she added.
Earlier this week, Magalong said he felt discredited after Castro’s earlier remarks in a previous Palace press briefing, suggesting he had no mandate to conduct investigations in his advisory role.
“It’s like I had no right to investigate,” Magalong said.
Castro refuted this interpretation, explaining that her comments were based on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s own clarification on Magalong’s appointment.
She said the President recognized Magalong only as a “special adviser” and not as an official investigator.
“There’s a difference between assuming and the actual pronouncement of the President,” she said. “Mayor Magalong simply said he presumed he was an investigator.”
Castro added that any legal functions tied to Magalong’s former role were already reassigned to the Palace legal team, per presidential instruction.
She urged the public and Magalong to avoid further speculation.
“If he knows someone who ordered me to say those things on September 26, and not the President, then he should bring that person forward. But I know he can’t, because it’s not true,” she said.
