Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has offered to resign as the government’s contact tracing czar after receiving backlash for attending a celebrity birthday party referring to Tim Yap, where guests violated the quarantine rules, but was rejected by the National Task Force against COVID-19, Malacañang announced on Friday, January 29.

“We confirm that Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong tendered his resignation as the government’s Tracing Czar,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

“Mayor Magalong’s resignation, however, has not been accepted. He continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of the leadership of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19,” Roque added.

NTF chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said during an event in Manila City that Magalong’s resignation was not accepted, mentioning his contributions to the government’s COVID-19 efforts.

“Alam niyo, napakasakit sa amin nung pinasa nga niya yung aming resignation paper pero hindi po namin matatanggap kasi napakalaki po ng ginawa po ni Mayor Magalong sa amin,” said Galvez.

In a letter addressed to Galvez, Magalong said he was resigning to hold himself “accountable and do what is necessary to rectify this misstep.”

"It pains me to see my family, and my constituents, in anguish over this but I am committed [to] hold myself accountable and do what is necessary to rectify this misstep," Magalong said in the letter.

The mayor added that he is "ready and willing" to cooperate if the COVID-19 task force or the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) decide to open a probe.

"I should have done an immediate spot correction of the errors that I witnessed during that time," the mayor said. "Much as I have given my best to discharge my duties for the Task Force, this incident has been a reminder that a higher standard is always expected of me."

Other public officials also have been scored for alleged violations of quarantine protocols, including national police chief Gen. Debold Sinas, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, and Roque.