By JOSEPH ANTHONY A. DAMGO
IN his testimony before the Quad Committee investigating the extrajudicial killings (EJKs), former Iloilo Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog on Thursday exposed how the Duterte administration used a fabricated drug list to persecute political rivals, with personalities unjustly included without investigation or due process.
This even as the former Iloilo City Mayor bared of a plot to falsely implicate former Senators Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon in illegal drugs during the past administration.
Mabilog revealed that his inclusion on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s so-called narco-list was politically motivated and a result of his affiliation with political figures who opposed Duterte, an allegation the former Iloilo mayor vehemently denied as it had no basis.
"Despite my hard work and dedication to public service, I was unjustly, baselessly included in former President Duterte's so-called narco-list. This inclusion was made without any evidence, investigation, or due process," Mabilog said during the hearing.
Before former President Duterte’s inclusion of Mabilog’s name in the drug list, law enforcement agencies such as the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency did not include the former Iloilo mayor’s name in any list.
When asked by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel why he thought he was included, Mabilog shared his assumptions with the committee.
“Actually, your honors, I really made several attempts to see then-President Duterte. Just to ask kung ano po talaga ang reason kung bakit po ako naisama sa lista. So, gumawa na lang po ako ng assumptions ko for what these reasons are,” he said.
Mabilog surmised that his political ties, particularly being a relative of former Sen. Franklin Drilon and his lack of support for Duterte in the 2016 elections, were factors in his inclusion.
He explained that Iloilo City had consistently been compared to Davao City, especially during Duterte's tenure as mayor.
He provided media articles showing the comparison between the two cities and speculated that this could have contributed to his being targeted.
"Iloilo City was always compared to Davao City. I have here po all the newspaper articles with me that would show that even Solita Monsod compared myself to then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte," Mabilog stated.
Pimentel pressed further, asking Mabilog if he believed his inclusion in the list was politically motivated because Iloilo City did not support Duterte in the 2016 elections.
“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, while Manuel Roxas po won the majority in Iloilo City,” he said.
Mabilog recounted how, after his name appeared on the narco-list, his life changed drastically. His firearms were confiscated, and his security detail was withdrawn.
“Yung lahat na security personnel na naka-detail po sa Mayor ay tinanggal. So yung ginawa ko is pumunta sa then PNP Regional Director na bagong assigned at kinausap ko siya kung ano ang dapat gagawin,” Mabilog said.
Despite providing evidence of his anti-drug programs, Mabilog was given no clear explanation for his inclusion in the list.
When Pimentel asked if Mabilog inquired about his inclusion, the former mayor shared that the regional director had no answers and only referenced Duterte’s public announcement.
“Sir bakit po ako nasali? Bakit po ang Iloilo most shabulized? Ito po yung mga programa po namin. Yung sagot niya po, nanggaling sa itaas yung lista, yung in-announce ng Presidente, wala pa pong lista nun,” Mabilog explained.
Pimentel emphasized that Mabilog’s inclusion in the list was not validated by local authorities and was solely based on Duterte’s public statements.
“In short Mr. Chair, yung binabasehan lang ng Regional Director sa listahan na sinabi ng former Presidente, doon lang po niya nakuha ang pangalan ninyo without any validation, ganun po ba?” Pimentel asked, to which Mabilog confirmed, “Yes, Your Honor.”
Mabilog revealed that Duterte publicly singled him out multiple times, further increasing the threats to his life.
“During in one forum, ito ba pinatotohanan mo? Doon sa isang event na sinabi niya, the Mayor of Iloilo City, I identified him. This was broadcasted. I said you're next,” Pimentel recounted, to which Mabilog replied, “Yes Your Honor as happened showed in the video po.”
Pimentel emphasized that Mabilog was a victim of baseless accusations under Duterte’s drug war.
“In fact, nandyan po sa affidavit din ho niya because of the several threats and because of several calls from different police authorities telling him... ikaw ang susunod na papatayin. And that is why Mr. Jed Mabilog left the country to save his life and to save his family,” Pimentel said.
When asked by Quad Committee co-chairman Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano to identify the political figures mentioned in his affidavit, Mabilog confirmed, "Yes," when asked if they were former Senator Mar Roxas and his cousin, former Senator Franklin Drilon.
Mabilog explained that his inclusion in the narco-list was purely politically motivated.
"It is all about politics," he said.
He emphasized that the Duterte administration’s list was used as a weapon against its political enemies, without any proper vetting or validation, describing it as a "hit list."
Mabilog firmly denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade, stating, "Una po 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 recounted a terrifying series of events that began in 2017, shortly after his name was included in Duterte’s list.
He detailed an invitation to meet with then-PNP chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa at Camp Crame, which was abruptly followed by chilling warnings about a threat to his life.
"At around 5 p.m., a PNP colonel called me in a voice that sent shivers down my spine... warned me not to go to Camp Crame because my life was in danger," Mabilog revealed.
That same evening, Mabilog’s wife received a text message, further intensifying their fears.
"Do not proceed, there are 20 men surrounding your house. And if you go to Camp Crame, they will kill you," the message read, according to Mabilog.
He described the terror he felt, saying, "The terror was paralyzing, I couldn’t believe it. My life and my family’s life was hanging by a thread."
Fearing for his safety, Mabilog fled the country, taking the first available flight to Japan. Upon arriving, he received a call from Gen. Dela Rosa, who expressed sympathy and assured Mabilog of his innocence.
"Mayor naaawa ako sayo, tutulungan kita, inosente ka (Mayor, I pity you, I will help you, you're innocent)," Dela Rosa reportedly said.
Despite Dela Rosa’s reassurance, another high-ranking general soon warned Mabilog to stay abroad.
"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 recalled the warning he received.
In the end, Mabilog chose not to return, resisting the pressure to falsely implicate political figures in Duterte’s drug war.
His testimony Thursday shed light on the Duterte administration’s use of the narco-list as a political tool, rather than a legitimate law enforcement measure.
Comments