A House member has publicly challenged Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to explicitly identify the lawmakers he claims are making unauthorized insertions in the proposed 2027 national budget, warning against sweeping accusations that malign the entire legislature.
Bicol Saro Representative Terry Ridon, who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts, accused Magalong of resorting to generalized claims rather than providing concrete names or actionable evidence.
“Ngayon, he’s going back to his previous ploy na i-drag ’yung buong Kongreso dito po sa usapin po ng budget insertions,” Ridon stated during a press briefing.
“Again, the challenge to Mayor Magalong stands: Who are these congressmen that are making budget insertions for the 2027 budget?” he added.
Ridon’s statements came in response to Magalong’s recent media interview, where the local chief executive asserted that lawmakers had temporarily scaled back budget insertions during the height of the flood control project controversy, but were now actively pushing project inclusions for the 2027 spending plan. Magalong also questioned whether these proposed projects aligned with local government Annual Investment Plans or involved proper consultation with local officials.
Ridon noted that this pattern mirrors previous unverified allegations made by the mayor regarding House prosecution panel members involved in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment proceedings.
“Una, sabi niya mga prosecutors. He was challenged to say, who are these prosecutors? Hindi naman niya nabanggit ’yung mga pangalan,” Ridon pointed out, referencing similar claims raised by Magalong in August.
Emphasizing the need for accountability in public statements, Ridon urged Magalong to produce specific names instead of casting blanket suspicion over the House of Representatives.
“Kasi as far as I remember, he has been making challenge after challenge on congressmen, pero hanggang sa ngayon wala pong napapangalanan,” Ridon said.
“So again, it’s a challenge to Mayor Magalong na pangalanan mo itong mga kinatawan na sinasabi niyang involved dito po sa budget insertions for 2027 national budget,” he concluded.