Oriental Mindoro Mayors Rally Behind Congressman Arnan Panaligan

Mayors in Oriental Mindoro have thrown their all-out support behind First District Rep. Arnan Panaligan following corruption allegations that have thrust the congressman into a national controversy over multi-billion peso flood control projects.

The League of Municipalities of the Philippines’ (LMP) Oriental Mindoro Chapter unanimously passed Resolution No. 2 on August 22, 2025 expressing “full trust, confidence, and unwavering support” for Rep. Panaligan amid what they termed “allegations of involvement in flood control project anomalies.”

The mayors’ resolution bared Panaligan’s lengthy public service record, noting his previous roles as Calapan City Mayor, Oriental Mindoro Governor, and current position as Representative of the First District.

The Mayors praised his “integrity and exemplary track record in public service” and described him as having “long been a distinguished public servant.”

The resolution said that the mayors believe Panaligan’s “decades of unblemished service, proven leadership, and advocacy for the interests of Mindoreños are testament to his unwavering commitment to ethical governance and public accountability.”

Eleven municipal mayors signed the resolution, including those from major towns such as Bansud, Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Gloria, Pinamalayan, Socorro, Victoria, Pola, Naujan, Baco, San Teodoro, and Puerto Galera.

The mayors’ collective show of support suggests strong backing for Panaligan despite the national-level allegations.

Their resolution stressed their belief in “due process, fairness, and the presumption of innocence,” asserting confidence that the congressman “will be vindicated through truth and proper legal processes.”

The move comes after Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson flagged defective flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro and questioned why they were funded through unprogrammed appropriations released to Panaligan’s district office, with Naujan town receiving P10 billion in flood control funding for 2025, or about 55% of the province’s allocation.

In a privilege speech, Lacson cited his office’s findings of substandard projects in several parts of the country, including Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro.

The senator’s investigation focused on alleged irregularities in flood control infrastructure funding that reached billions of pesos.

Panaligan has pushed back against insinuations linking him to defective flood control projects flagged in the Senate, stressing that lawmakers neither propose nor implement such undertakings, which fall squarely under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Panaligan, a lawyer by profession, claimed that most of the projects were already in the proposed budget crafted by the Executive and submitted to Congress.

The Mindoreño lawmaker denied knowledge of any congressional insertion for his district, saying he was neither part of the small committee nor the bicameral committee on the budget.