MANILAwwm casino (winwinmnl.com), Philippines — Former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog said on Thursday, September 19, that he did not return to the Philippines in 2017 due to a warning from a police general not to come home. 

After Mabilog returned to the country on September 10, he attended the sixth public hearing of the House’s quadcom on Thursday in hopes that he would be given due process.

Here’s what happened based on Mabilog’s sworn statement.

The president’s drug list. On Aug. 7, 2016, former President Rodrigo Duterte accused Mabilog on live television of being a “major drug protector” and included him in his list of public officials allegedly involved in the country’s illegal drug trade, despite the absence of any drug-related charges against him.

Since then, Duterte would occasionally mention Mabilog during broadcasted events or interviews related to the former president’s war on drugs, even saying once in Filipino to “get rid” of him.

Law enforcement agencies, however, confirmed that Mabilog was not included in the original list submitted to the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.  

When the former mayor was informed of the list, a police chief requested that he surrender his firearms and have all his security personnel removed from his detail as mayor.

Mabilog asked him why he was included in the list without validation and the police chief only answered, “Nanggaling sa taas ang lista (The list came from higher-ups),” referring to Duterte. 

Mabilog also told lawmakers that he made several attempts to meet with Duterte to ask why he was included in the list, but to no avail. 

The only reasons he could think of are that he was not supportive of the former president during the national elections in 2016 and that Iloilo City was often compared to Davao City, which Duterte was a former mayor of. 

He added that most of Iloilo City’s residents also voted for Duterte’s opponent in the presidential elections, former Sen. Mar Roxas. 

When other public officials included in the list had died, Mabilog feared for his life even more. 

Prior to leaving. Two days before Mabilog left to attend an international speaking engagement in Japan, former police Regional Director Bernardo Diaz invited him to meet with Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa at Camp Crame the next day.

However, another police officer warned him not to proceed to Camp Crame. Mabilog’s wife was also informed through text that he would be killed if he went and that there were 20 uniformed personnel surrounding their house.

He didn’t meet with Dela Rosa and flew to Japan on Aug. 30, 2017.

Upon his arrival. Mabilog was instructed by Diaz to call a certain number on a public payphone. And when he dialed the number, the person on the other line turned out to be Dela Rosa.

In his call with Dela Rosa, Mabilog said the former police chief told him to return to the Philippines, promising to help clear his name because Dela Rosa believed in his innocence. 

“His words brought a brief moment of hope. I told him I would finish my work abroad and return to meet him, but he urged me to be careful, repeating his pledge to help,” Mabilog stated in his signed affidavit. 

He said he genuinely believed in Dela Rosa and planned to return not until about 10 to 15 minutes later when another general — whom he preferred not to name — called him up, warning him not to come home.

According to Mabilog, the general said this: “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.” 

Mabilog confirmed to lawmakers that the senator was then Sen. Frank Drilon, his second cousin, and the former presidential candidate was Roxas.

The formal Iloilo City mayor was also told to destroy his cell phone and SIM card. 

Because of this, Mabilog sought asylum in the United States, which was granted on March 29, 2019. 

Coming home. At the House's quadcom hearing on Thursday, Mabilog was asked if he plans to file a case against Duterte. 

He replied that he had already “forgiven him.”

However, he also said he would consult with his lawyers should he proceed with filing charges. 

Mabilog is currently facing charges of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.

The Sandiganbayan has set his arraignment on October 11. wwm casino (winwinmnl.com)

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