Benjamin B. Magalong | |
|---|---|
 Official Portrait, 2019 | |
| 27th Mayor of Baguio | |
| Assumed office June 30, 2019 | |
| Vice Mayor | Faustino A. Olowan |
| Preceded by | Mauricio Domogan |
| IATF-EID Contact Tracing Czar | |
| In office March 16, 2020 – January 29, 2021 | |
| President | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Deputy Chief for Operations of the Philippine National Police | |
| In office July 1, 2016 – December 15, 2016 | |
| President | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | PDDG. Danilo S. Constantino |
| Succeeded by | PDDG. Ramon C. Apolinario |
| Director of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management | |
| In office July 11, 2015 – July 1, 2016 | |
| President | Benigno Aquino III |
| Preceded by | PDir. Francisco Don C. Montenegro |
| Succeeded by | C/Supt. Augusto M. Marquez Jr. |
| Director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group | |
| In office December 7, 2013 – July 11, 2015 | |
| President | Benigno Aquino III |
| Preceded by | Dir. Francisco A. Uyami Jr. |
| Succeeded by | C/Supt. Victor P. Deona |
| Regional Director of Police Regional Office Cordillera | |
| In office October 29, 2011 – December 7, 2013 | |
| President | Benigno Aquino III |
| Preceded by | C/Supt. Villamor C. Bumanglag |
| Succeeded by | C/Supt. Isagani R. Nerez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Benjamin Bañez Magalong December 15, 1960 Baguio, Philippines |
| Political party | Nationalist People's Coalition[1] |
| Spouse | Arlene Saneo |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Saint Louis University (secondary) |
| Alma mater | Philippine Military Academy (BS) FBI National Academy (short course) |
| Occupation | Retired Police Officer |
| Website | benjaminmagalong |
| Police career | |
| Service | Philippine National Police |
| Allegiance |  Philippines |
| Divisions |
|
| Service years | 1982–2016 |
| Rank |  Police Deputy Director General |
Benjamin "Benjie" Bañez Magalong (born December 15, 1960) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer serving as the mayor of Baguio since 2019.[2] Before entering politics, he served in the Philippine Constabulary and Philippine National Police (PNP) for 38 years. He was the chief of the Cordillera regional police office, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM). He retired with the rank of Police Deputy Director General as the PNP's Deputy Chief for Operations.
Born and raised in Baguio, Magalong graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1982. He first served in Abra and Agusan del Norte before joining the Special Action Force (SAF) and heading its Special Operations Battalion from 1997 to 2001. He was accused of plotting to assassinate President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2001 but was later cleared in 2005. He then led the quelling of the March 2005 prison riot in Camp Bagong Diwa. In 2006, he was detained for three months after joining an alleged failed coup attempt against Arroyo. After his reinstatement, he was assigned to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Quezon City police office.[3] He then became the director of the CIDG and chairman of the PNP Board of Inquiry on the Mamasapano Incident. Magalong published the investigation report on March 13, 2015, which implicated PNP chief Alan Purisima and President Benigno Aquino III of misconduct leading to the deaths of 44 SAF troopers.
In 2019, Magalong testified before the Senate accusing PNP chief Oscar Albayalde of protecting police officers involved in the drug trade.
He served as the contact tracing czar of the Philippine government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic from July 2020 until his irrevocable resignation on January 29, 2021.[4]
- ^ "Halalan 2019 Philippine Election Results | ABS-CBN News". Archived from the original on June 30, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
- ^ "HalalanResults: Ex-CIDG chief Benjamin Magalong is new Baguio mayor". ABS-CBN News. May 14, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
- ^ Cupin, Bea (December 15, 2016). "The outcast retires: Benjamin Magalong bids goodbye to the PNP". Rappler. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Palace can't stop Magalong; contact tracing czar says resignation 'irrevocable'". ABS-CBN News. January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.