Bares plan to implicate Roxas, Drilon in narco-politician ‘hit list’
Former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog – who went on self-imposed exile for seven years after being tagged a narco-politician by then President Rodrigo Duterte – said the bloody war on drugs of the former administration was also a smokescreen to target and eliminate political rivals.
And in Mabilog’s case, the elimination threat was quite literal, causing him to flee the country in 2017 and seek asylum in the United States.
“President Duterte repeatedly threatened me, through the media, saying outright that he would kill me,” Mabilog told members of the House Quad Committee yesterday.
When asked by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel why Mabilog thought he was targeted, he surmised it was because of his lack of support for Duterte in the 2016 elections.
“President Rodrigo Duterte got only 13.7 percent in the total number of votes in Iloilo City, which is his lowest percentage of votes all over the country, while Manuel Roxas won the majority in Iloilo City,” he said.
Mabilog recounted receiving a call from then Philippine National Police chief Ronald Dela Rosa, inviting him to Camp Crame. On the day that he arrived in Manila, the meeting was repeatedly delayed for hours, Mabilog said.
“At around 5 p.m., a PNP colonel called me and in a voice that sent shivers down my spine, warning me not to go to Camp Crame because my life was in danger,” Mabilog said.
Later that day, Mabilog said his wife received a text message warning them that men were surrounding their home, ready to kill him if he proceeded to Camp Crame.
He said a police “general” called him up and said: “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 at an opposition senator and a former presidential candidate as drug lords.”
“The terror was paralyzing. I couldn’t believe it – my life was hanging by a thread,” Mabilog said.
Mabilog said the alleged game plan was to falsely implicate former Senators Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon in illegal drugs in exchange for clearing his name had he gone to Camp Crame.
He left the country for Japan where he received a call from Dela Rosa.
“He (Dela Rosa) told me he knew I was innocent, that I wasn’t involved in illegal drugs and he promised to help me,” Mabilog said. However, another general again warned him not to return to the Philippines.
Dela Rosa on Thursday strongly denied giving orders to kill Mabilog.
“It’s very incredible that I will ask him to go to Camp Crame to kill him,” he said.
The senator confirmed calling Mabilog and asking him to meet up at Camp Crame, assuring the former mayor that “nothing will happen” to him.
Mabilog urged lawmakers to implement reforms, noting that using law enforcement agencies to serve political purposes erodes public trust in the government.
“Using state institutions to carry out personal vendettas or silence perceived enemies undermines the foundation of justice and democracy in our country. These institutions need to be strengthened so that they are not simply used or influenced by politics,” he said.
Mabilog also asked Congress to hold accountable those who abuse their power for personal and political gain.
“No individual should be able to wield such unchecked authority regardless of their position or power,” he said. “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 recalled even asking the police regional director why he was included in the narco-list.
“Why did I get included? Why is Iloilo the most shabulized? His answer was that the list came from above, the one announced by the President,” he said.
Pimentel lamented that Mabilog was a victim of baseless accusations under Duterte’s drug war.
“In fact, it is also in his affidavit because of the several threats and because of several calls from different police authorities telling him… you will be the next one to be killed. And that is why Mr. Jed Mabilog left the country to save his life and to save his family,” Pimentel said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Mabilog says Duterte used drug war to silence political rivals”
