ILOILO CITY—The wife of the former mayor of this city, who had been named by President Rodrigo Duterte as involved in illegal drugs, turned to social media to react sharply to Duterte’s mention of the mayor’s name again in the President’s televised address last Monday (Nov. 30).
“Merry Christmas, Digong,” said Marivic Mabilog, wife of former Iloilo Mayor Jed Patric Mabilog, on her Facebook post.
“Spend the holidays better. Do you really miss Jed? Move on. Better yet, get a life. You’re fast running out of one,” Marivic said.
On another post, Marivic offered a list of songs that she said was appropriate as themes by the President for her husband.
These included “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “I Will Always Love You,” “It Must Have Been Love” and “When Will I See You Again”.
The former mayor was among dismissed government workers and officials the President named in his address.
“Jed Patrick Mabilog, mayor, Iloilo City. Dismissed for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service,” the President said in his Nov. 30 address.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government removed Mabilog from office on Oct. 30, 2017 in compliance with a dismissal order by the Ombudsman which found the former mayor guilty of serious dishonesty in connection with his SALN, or statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.
The anti-graft body said the former mayor failed to “properly account or explain his sources of income” with an increase in his net worth reaching nearly P9 million in one year.
The Court of Appeals affirmed with finality Mabilog’s dismissal in May last year.
Mabilog was among the officials named by the President in August 2016 as involved in illegal drugs.
Mabilog has repeatedly denied the allegation but he and his family have not returned to the country due to safety concerns after he attended international conferences in Japan and Malaysia in August 2017.
The President had repeatedly mentioned Mabilog in his speeches even after the former mayor left the country.
“Duterte is no longer relevant to our lives,” said Marivic. “You have nothing on Jed except fabricated charges decided by your spineless minions. Move on. As I said before, stop looking at my family and start looking at yours,” she added.