Dennis Gasgonia

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Thursday labelled the accusations thrown against him as “below the belt” after he was tagged to the P118-million tennis court constructed by a firm owned by the Discayas.</p><p>Magalong said the insinuations of “conflict of interest” was made when he was appointed special adviser to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).</p><p>The Baguio City mayor, who recently resigned from his post in the ICI, maintained that the tennis court project went through a transparent bidding in 2022.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/2/solon-hits-magalong-s-failure-to-disclose-discaya-linked-project-in-baguio-1718"><strong>Solon hits Magalong’s &#x27;failure&#x27; to disclose Discaya-linked project in Baguio</strong></a></div><p>“Here comes a below-the-belt accusation na dahil mayroong project ang Discayas doon, maanomalya ang tennis court. Sobra na ‘yan,&quot; said Magalong during the hearing of the Senate committee on science and technology, where he served as a resource person.</p><p>&quot;‘Yun ang hindi ko ma-take. Parang pinapalabas mo pang corrupt ako. Mag-aaway na tayo diyan. Kung bulok ba ako, lalabanan ko ‘yung mga very powerful na tao diyan? You have to make sure that you have the moral ascendancy bago mo labanan ‘yung mga tao. Otherwise, masisira ka rin.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I think I struck a nerve.” </p><p>Magalong said that a third party audit is being conducted regarding the Discaya projects in Baguio, including the tennis court. The Baguio City mayor cited that the court has minor defects like the placing of the pavement that removes the paint. </p><p>He also said that the Baguio City LGU has withheld the remaining P26 million payment to St. Gerrard Construction, which is owned by contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/27/magalong-on-ici-resignation-i-chose-to-protect-the-integrity-of-fight-vs-corruption-1109"><strong>Magalong on ICI resignation: I chose to protect the integrity of fight vs corruption</strong></a></div><p>The city government imposed nearly P5 million in liquidated damages due to the defects and delays in the project.</p><p>House Infrastructure Committee Co-Chairperson Terry Ridon earlier slammed Magalong’s supposed previous failure to disclose Discaya-linked projects in Baguio City.</p><p>He said this (failure), and Magalong’s alleged “rejection of scrutiny” “do not speak well” of his commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance.</p><p>“Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has only himself to blame for his current woes in the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). It is the height of hypocrisy for a public official who styles himself as a champion of transparency, accountability, and good governance to reject public scrutiny of projects within his own local government,” Ridon said in a statement.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dFilaLwh2Ug?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Thursday labelled the accusations thrown against him as “below the belt”.</p>

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Thursday labelled the accusations thrown against him as “below the belt”.

Magalong slams 'conflict of interest claim' regarding Discaya-constructed tennis court

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Magalong slams 'conflict of interest claim' regarding Discaya-constructed tennis court

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 02, 2025 08:29 PM PHT

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Benjamin Magalong

Senate

House

Discaya

Tennis Court

Below the belt

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