Ex-Iloilo mayor Jed Mabilog: I’m not a drug protector

After seven years of exile, former Iloilo City mayor Jed Mabilog on Thursday stood firm that he was never involved in the illegal drug trade, claiming that the accusations against him by former President Rodrigo Duterte were all “baseless” and “fabricated.” 

Mabilog, who was included in Duterte’s drug watch list in 2016, became emotional as he appeared for the first time in a joint hearing of the four committees of the House of Representatives to air his side of the story. 

“Ito na siguro ang tamang pagkakataon na malaya akong kukuha ng lakas ng loob at magsasalita ng katotohanan kahit ako pa ay natatakot at may pangamba sa aking buhay,” he said. 

(Maybe this is the right time for me to take courage and freely tell the truth even though I am still afraid and have fears for my life.) 

“Una sa lahat [first of all], I declare that I was not, and never will be a drug protector. I don't know personally nor did I benefit in any way from any illegal drug personality in Iloilo or anywhere else.”

The former mayor said that during his tenure, he implemented anti-illegal drug activities, campaigns, and policies, knowing that there were existing drug groups in Iloilo City. However, he said all these efforts were “ignored” by the Duterte administration.

Until the present, he said that there are no drug-related cases that have been filed in legal courts against him. 

He also said that he decided not to go back to the Philippines from an international speaking engagement in Japan in 2017 due to the threats to his life. 

“Paulit-ulit ang pagbabanta ni Presidente Duterte sa media, harap-harapang sinasabi ipapapatay daw ako…at alam po nating lahat hindi lamang ito basta-bastang pagbabanta. Kayang kaya niya pong totohanin ito,” Mabilog said, showing several video clips of Duterte threatening him in public. 

(President Duterte repeatedly threatens me in front of the media, saying that he will have me killed... and we all know that this is not just a threat. He can really make it happen.) 

He also recalled arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in August 2017, supposedly to meet with then-Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa at Camp Crame. 

However, he said he received a call from a police colonel telling him not to proceed to Camp Crame because his life was in danger. He said his wife also received the same warning. Mabilog said he took the first flight returning to Japan the next day.

“Using a public payphone [in Japan], I made a call and spoke to General Bato who expressed his sympathy. He was talking to me in Bisaya. He told me he knew I was innocent, that I wasn't involved in illegal drugs, and he promised to help me,” the former mayor said. 

“Just after that call, my Philippine cellphone rang. This time, it was another general. His voice was grim: ‘Mayor, do not return. Your life is in danger. The accusations against you are all fabricated, but if you go to Crame, you’ll be forced to point fingers to an opposition senator and a former presidential candidate as drug lords,’” he added. 

Mabilog revealed that he was referring to former senators Mar Roxas II and Franklin Drilon, his second cousin.

He also alleged that his name was included in the narcolist because he did not support Duterte in the 2016 elections. According to Mabilog, Roxas got the highest vote in the presidential race in Iloilo back then.

“Yes your honor, kasi ang resulta po ng elections na ‘yun [the result of that elections was that], President Rodrigo Duterte got only 13.7% in the total number of votes in Iloilo City which is his lowest percentage votes all over the country,” he said when asked by Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel.

He said he chose back then to proceed to the United States and apply for political asylum.

Salvador Panelo, the chief presidential legal counsel under the Duterte administration, called Mabilog’s claim as “nonsense.”

“That’s a lot of nonsense. All the heads of the LGUs except for [Agusan del Norte] Gov. Angel Amante did not support [former Pres. Duterte],” he told GMA News Online.

Mabilog landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on September 10 and surrendered to operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) and the International Airport Investigation Division.

The NBI said that he “sought ‘political asylum’ from the government of the United States of America and was indeed granted.”

Ex-Pres. Duterte's drug list

Based on the statement of resource persons, House Committee on Public Accounts chairperson Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano said that Dutete’s drug list was used to target political rivals.

“From the very start to the statement-affidavit of Mayor Jed Mabilog and his preliminary remarks, it is all about politics,” Paduano said.

“Yung Duterte's list again, from the statement of Colonel Espenido, napakalinaw po it [did not undergo] vetting and validation kapag kalaban ka sa politika nasa listahan ka [if you are a political rival, you'll be included in the list],” he added.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said that Mabilog was only included in the drug list in 2017 after Duterte mentioned him in a speech.

“It was only on October 19, 2017 when the names earlier mentioned by the President, there were 159 including the name of Mayor Mabilog, but the rest were already earlier included. So only 30 that were not yet included in the earlier list that were added,” PDEA intelligence service director Emiterio Bitong said.

The original list was created in December 2016 during an intelligence workshop held in the Philippine National Police, Bitong said. A total of 3,363 names were included.

In September 2017, another list from the Office of the President dated August 2017 was merged with the initial list. The number of names increased to 6,191.

In October 2017, the personalities mentioned by Duterte in his speech on August 7, 2016 were included in the consolidated list, Bitong said. The names increased to 6,221.

Bail

Last Wednesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that Mabilog posted bail over the graft charge against him.

The Office of the Ombudsman in 2023 filed graft charges against Mabilog and councilor Plaridel Nava II before the Sandiganbayan over alleged intervention in the awarding of a government contract to a towing services firm where they have an interest in.

The Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court Branch 73 and Sandiganbayan Third Division also issued an arrest warrant against Mabilog for violation of the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” and the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.” —AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News