By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday challenged Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to substantiate his claim that the 2025 national budget was being used as an “election fund.”
In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said it would be “better” if Magalong provided her the evidence so she could take a look into the issues surrounding the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“Ginagalang po natin ang pananaw ni Mayor Magalong, pero mas maganda po sana kung magsasalita po siya ay nandiyan na, nakahain na po ang mga ebidensiya na ito ay nagamit sa election fund (We respect Mayor Magalong’s view, but it would have been better if he made the claim with an evidence that this was used as election fund),” Castro said.
“Magbigay na lang po siya ng ebidensiya doon para kung mayroon pong issue ay mas maliwanag. Pero kung maibibigay niya po sa amin, sa PCO, kahit po sa akin, mas maganda po kung mababasa ko lahat ng mga ebidensiya niya at ito po ay ating paiimbestigahan (He should just provide evidence there so that if there is an issue, it will be clearer. But if he can provide it to us, to the PCO, even to me, it would be better if I could read all his evidence and we can investigate it),” she added.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the 2025 GAA on Dec. 30, 2024.
According to reports, Magalong claimed that House lawmakers allegedly received social amelioration funds when they joined House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez’s out-of-town engagements.
Magalong said he also fears for his family’s safety after receiving death threats since he exposed the alleged corruption in the House of Representatives.
Castro said the Palace is willing to help, if there is really a threat to Magalong’s life.
“Kung mayroon pong death threats sa kaniya, hindi po natin alam kung saan ito galing (If there are death threats against him, we don’t know where it came from),” she said.
“Dati naman din po siya na naging parte ng PNP (Philippine National Police), magaling na man po siya mag-imbestiga bigay lamang po niya ang lahat ng ebidensiya at tayo ay tutulong kung totoong may death threats (He was part of the PNP before, he is already good at investigating, just provide all the evidence and we will help if there are really death threats),” she added. (PNA)
