Jamaine Punzalan

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon inspect major infrastructure projects in Pampanga on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175939067131120250923-flood-cointrol-pampanga-ici-MT14.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon inspect major infrastructure projects in Pampanga on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Thursday said the local government withheld the remaining P26-million payment for a tennis court project under the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction Company.</p><p>Magalong added that the city government imposed nearly P5 million in liquidated damages due to the defects and delays in the project.</p><p>The mayor said the project, which includes a multi-level parking facility under the tennis court, was under third-party evaluation to ensure accountability.</p><p>“Pinapa-third party ko ngayon. Very transparent kami doon. Unang-una, hindi pa namin binabayaran,” Magalong told reporters in the Senate.</p><p>He said that when workers applied the finishing touches on the court during heavy rains, its surface began peeling.</p><p>“Mali rin iyong aming engineer. May mali rin iyong contractor doon kasi minadali nila iyong finishing nila,” Magalong said.</p><p>“Noong umulan, saka nilagay iyong mga finishing touches. Nag-tuklap-tuklap,” he said.</p><p>But Magalong defended the bidding process in 2022, saying it was legitimate and transparent, with St. Gerrard emerging as the lowest complying bidder at P110 million.</p><p>He added that insinuations linking him personally to anomalies were “below the belt.”</p><p>“Very open ‘yan (bidding). Very transparent… At 2022 iyon. Wala pa kaming alam diyan sa mga St. Gerrard na ‘yan. Wala kaming kaalam-alam sa mga Discaya. Wala kaming kaalam-alam na maraming mga kalokohan,” he said, referring to the controversial background of the Discaya family-owned firm.</p><p>Magalong disclosed that St. Gerrard’s owner himself acknowledged the city’s integrity during negotiations.</p><p>“Alam mo sabi nga ni Discaya, noong nakausap namin sila, sabi niya... Bihirang-bihirang daw siya maka-meet ng LGU na walang hiningi sa kanya,” Magalong said.</p><p>The project was inaugurated in May 2025.</p><p>City records show that St. Gerrard’s work accomplishment stood at 94 percent as of September 2025, with accumulated liquidated damages of P4.9 million and retention costs of P8.7 million.</p><p>The LGU has scheduled a hearing on October 20 to scrutinize both the bidding process and the project quality in relation to the third-party evaluation.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ICI </strong></div><div> </div><p>Meanwhile, Magalong maintained his confidence in the ongoing Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) probe despite his exit as special adviser.</p><p>“Naniniwala pa rin ako na magiging maayos pa rin diyan [sa ICI]... Sa tingin ko, basta tuluy-tuloy lang iyong imbestigasyon. Huwag lang ire-reign. Magiging credible,” he said.</p><p>But when asked if he had felt pressure from any outside force, the mayor said, &quot;Noong nandoon naman kami, wala namang pressure. Nakapagtataka lang, bakit biglang ayaw ko mag-imbestiga. The mere fact na sinabi, you&#x27;re not an investigator, you&#x27;re just a [special] adviser.”</p><p>“So, ibig sabihin, simple lang iyon. Ayaw, huwag ka na mag-imbestiga. Iyon ang message dun. And you don&#x27;t have any authority over the PNP. Despite the fact naman na may MOU (memorandum of understanding)... Ano pang purpose ko? &#x27;Di dapat mag-resign na lang ako,&quot; he said.</p><p>Magalong refused to be more specific about this.  </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe width="923" height="519" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6qBsvfKBAmA" title="&#x27;Lahat sila korap!&#x27; Magalong shares what transpired during ICI probe | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the local government withheld the remaining P26-million payment for a tennis court project under the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction Company.</p>

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the local government withheld the remaining P26-million payment for a tennis court project under the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction Company.

Baguio withholds P26-million payment for Discaya firm over unfinished tennis court

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Baguio withholds P26-million payment for Discaya firm over unfinished tennis court

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 02, 2025 03:40 PM PHT

Read More:

Baguio

Benjamin Magalong

ICI

Discaya

St. Gerrard Construction

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