Ex-mayor Mabilog turns emotional: Allegations must be validated

Former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog (INQUIRER FILES)

MANILA, Philippines — Former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog turned emotional as he recounted his ordeal after then president Rodrigo Duterte named him as an illegal drugs  trade protector and said that he hopes accusations would be verified first before being made public.

Mabilog, during the hearing of the House of Representatives’ quad-committee on Thursday, said that they are calling for justice and reforms in law enforcement, as he believes the past administration weaponized agencies.

 “Ang panawagan po namin sa inyo, manguna po ang hustisya at magkaroon ng reporma sa ating sistema, partikular sa pamamalakad ng ating law enforcement agencies. (My appeal to lawmakers is form justice is upheld and that our system is reformed, particularly with the management of our law enforcement agencies) Accusations must be duly validated and authenticated first before any public announcement to avoid shaming and destroying the honor, reputation, and good image of a hardworking and innocent person,” Mabilog said.

“Higit sa lahat, panagutin ang mga umaabuso sa kapangyarihan.  Sana ang nadanasan naming paghihirap, na durog na durog, persekyusyon, at trauma at saka walang-wala ay hindi po mararanasan ng iba, at mananaig ang katotohanan at hindi ang pamumulitika o personal na interes ng iilan,” he added.

(Most of all, hold those abusing power accountable.  I hope the hardships we endured, where we were crushed, persecuted, and traumatized would not be experienced by others — and that truth, and not politics or personal interests, would prevail.)

According to Mabilog, no individual should be allowed to wield such “unchecked authority”  to undermine democratic functions. 

“I come before you today not merely to recount my sufferings, but to highlight a critical flaw in our system, one that allows law enforcement agencies to be weaponized for political purposes — that illegal drug trade stems from the ills of our society from poverty to corruption of government institutions including our law enforcement agencies,” he said.

“By using state institutions to carry out personal vendettas or silence perceived enemies undermine the foundation of justice and democracy in our country.  No individual should be allowed to wield such unchecked authority regardless of their position or power,” he added.

Mabilog was among the officials named by Duterte as linked to the illegal drug trade as early as August 2016.  No formal case, however, was filed.

Due to fears for his life, Mabilog left the country in August 2017 to attend a conference in Japan, but he and his family never returned. 

Last September 10, Mabilog returned to the Philippines to clear his name.

“Pasensya na po (for being emotional).  Maraming salamat po sa quad-committee na ito, dahil pitong taon po, mahirap talaga po, maraming salamat po dahil nabigyan niyo po kami, ako, at ang iba pang mga biktima ng pagkakataon na linisin ang aming mga pangalan at ng mga minamahal kong Ilonggo at ‘yong Iloilo na tinawag pong shabulized,” he added.

(My apologies for being emotional.  Thank you to the quad-committee, because for the past seven years, it has been hard, thank you for giving us — my family, me, and other victims — the chance to clean our names and that of my beloved Ilonggo and Iloilo which was called ‘shabulized’.