An emotional former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog recounts his harrowing ordeal during the congressional quad committee on Thursday, September 19, 2024.
Mabilog returned to the country last September 10 after seven years of exile to clear his name and Iloilo City from accusations of former President Duterte that he was a narco-politician and that the city was the "most shabulized". (via Tara Yap | MB)
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Mabilog returned to the country last September 10 after seven years of exile to clear his name and Iloilo City from accusations of former President Duterte that he was a narco-politician and that the city was the "most shabulized". (via Tara Yap | MB)
Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin
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NewsTranscript
00:00During the past few weeks, I was informed that I would be able to speak as a resource person on behalf of the Quad Committee.
00:13And I would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of you for allowing me to speak. Thank you very much.
00:21When I heard the news, I thought to myself,
00:25this is probably the right time for me to be able to express my feelings and speak the truth,
00:34even though I am still afraid and worried about my life.
00:41First of all, I declare that I was not and never will be a drug protector.
00:49I don't know personally nor did I benefit in any way from any illegal drug personality in Iloilo or anywhere else.
01:02After seven years of exile,
01:06dahil sa na politika at walang basihang mga akusasyon,
01:10kaliwat ka ng mga paratang at higit sa lahat mga banta sa aking buhay,
01:16at sa buhay ng aking pamilya,
01:18narito po ako ngayon at humaharap po sa inyo.
01:23Naging kabataang baranggay chairman,
01:27number one city councilor,
01:29vice mayor,
01:30at mayor in 2010, 2013, and 2016.
01:35And was fortunate to have been chosen as one,
01:38as the top five world mayor in 2014.
01:43That also included the former president as a nominee.
01:48In the campaign against illegal drugs,
01:51as mayor and as mandated by law,
01:54I am aware of my authority to set local policies and priorities related to crime and drugs.
02:02I'm also aware that under the law,
02:05the PNP and PIDEA handle crime investigation and response
02:10and the combating of drug trafficking and enforcement of drug laws
02:15while the mayor relies on the police and PIDEA to implement them.
02:22And so when I became mayor,
02:24and having made aware that there were existing drug groups in the city,
02:30I immediately initiated anti-illegal drug activities,
02:35campaign and policies among others,
02:38multiple programs,
02:40one of which is to activate the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils.
02:47In 2014, according to PIDEA,
02:51Iloilo City was the first in the country to have 100% of its BADAC activated.
02:59In the six years that I have been mayor of Iloilo City,
03:04Iloilo City consistently received national recognitions from PIDEA
03:09and the PNP in the years 2014, 2015, 2016, and even in 2017
03:18for the comprehensive programs including rehab,
03:21logistical support to the PNP and PIDEA in their drive against illegal drugs.
03:28Since the existence of these drug syndicates in our city was deeply rooted,
03:33I relied on the expertise of the local PNP and regional PIDEA
03:38to deal with these groups while I focused on the socio-economic programs
03:43that would address the root causes of poverty
03:46that expose the vulnerable population to cope against the evils of illegal drugs.
03:53But all of these efforts were ignored by the Duterte administration.
03:59If you can remember,
04:01all of this started suddenly when the names were included in the PRRD Narco list
04:10of the Duterte administration.
04:13A list containing the names of well-known public officials
04:19who were not involved in illegal drugs,
04:23unfounded cases,
04:26and were never proven.
04:30As a matter of fact,
04:32until today,
04:34there are no drug-related cases that have been filed,
04:39especially in the legal courts,
04:41against me and my person.
04:45But if you look closely,
04:48the names of the political opponents were included
04:51in a validated list of drug personalities in the next PRRD list.
04:58Despite the questionable information,
05:02there was no validation or confirmation
05:05made by any government agency in its initiated list.
05:12This PRRD list became a hit list.
05:20In a public forum of PIDEA in 2018,
05:23the Regional Adjudication Committee,
05:27also known as RAC,
05:30said that my name was not included in their list.
05:34While in the Iloilo City Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting,
05:39PIDEA 6 Regional Director Gil Pabilona
05:44and Iloilo City Police Director Col. Remus Caneso
05:50officially confirmed that my name was not included in the drug list.
05:57But the list of their records remains.
06:02Until now,
06:03all charges and accusations against me
06:08continue to damage my reputation
06:11as well as the reputation of my beloved Iloilo.
06:17Because of the serious threat to my life,
06:20I was forced not to return
06:23from an international speaking engagement in Japan
06:28and to leave my family
06:31the town that we worked so hard to build.
06:36PRRD even assigned Lt. Col. Espinido to Iloilo
06:42and announced without a threat,
06:44with a threat,
06:46mabubuhi pa kaya siya?
06:49Ibig sabihin in Tagalog,
06:51mabubuhay pa kaya siya?
06:54referring to me.
06:56Pinalad po ako na meron akong speaking engagement
07:00sa isang international conference sa Japan
07:03kaya nakaalis ako ng bansa.
07:06Paulit-ulit
07:08ang pagbabanta ni Presidente Duterte sa media
07:12harap-harapang sinasabi
07:15ipapatay daw ako.
07:19So when the government killed him,
07:22we started to dig
07:23and we found the bones of the policeman still in the uniform.
07:28And so we had to take him out.
07:30I said,
07:31go and take him out.
07:35The mayor of Iloilo City,
07:38I identified him.
07:40This is broadcast.
07:44I said, you're next.
07:47You're next.
07:48Saan ang mayor ninyo dito?
07:50Saan ang pinagitan mo?
07:53Mayor, saan ba si mayor?
07:55Hinabi ko sa kanila, umbalik ka dito.
07:59Patayin talaga kita.
08:03Julius Ronald Pacificador,
08:05Humptec Antique,
08:07dead.
08:14At alam po nating lahat,
08:17hindi lamang po ito basta-basta pagbabanta.
08:21Kayang-kaya niya pong totohanin ito.
08:26Labag man sa kalooban,
08:30kinailangan po naming lumisan
08:33at wag na munang bumalik sa Pilipinas.
08:37On August 28, 2017,
08:41I received an unexpected call
08:45from former PNP Regional Director Bernardo Diaz.
08:50He invited me
08:52to meet with PNP Chief Ronald de la Rosa,
08:57now Senator,
08:58at Camp Krame, Quezon City,
09:01at noon the following day.
09:04The next morning, on August 29,
09:07I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
09:11at 10 a.m., ready to proceed.
09:14But then the call started.
09:16First, they moved the meeting to 3 p.m.
09:20And then by 5 p.m., it was delayed again,
09:23this time to 6 p.m.
09:32At around 5 p.m.,
09:34a PNP colonel called me in a voice
09:39that sent shivers down my spine.
09:43Literal po yun.
09:45Warned me not to go to Camp Krame
09:48because my life was in danger.
09:51The fear that had been simmering now erupted.
09:55Soon after, at 6.32 p.m.,
09:58my wife, Marivic,
10:01received a chilling text
10:03from a PNP colonel's wife.
10:05Do not proceed.
10:07There are 20 men surrounding your house.
10:11And if you go to Camp Krame,
10:13they will kill you.
10:19The terror was paralyzing.
10:23I couldn't believe it.
10:26My life and my family's life
10:29was hanging by a thread.
10:34The next day, on August 30,
10:37I took the first flight out to Japan,
10:40not knowing if I would ever return.
10:43Upon arrival,
10:45I received a message from General Diaz
10:49to call a number.
10:51Using a public payphone,
10:54I made the call and spoke to General Bateau,
10:57who expressed his sympathy.
11:00He was talking to me in Bisaya.
11:02He told me he knew I was innocent,
11:06that I wasn't involved in illegal drugs,
11:09and he promised to help me.
11:12His words brought a brief moment of hope.
11:17I told him I would finish my work abroad
11:21and return to meet him,
11:23but he urged me to be careful,
11:26repeating his pledge to help.
11:29Just after that call,
11:31my Philippine cell phone rang.
11:34This time, it was another general.
11:38His voice was grim.
11:41Mayor, do not return.
11:44Your life is in danger.
11:47The accusations against you are all fabricated,
11:51but if you go to Crame,
11:53you'll be forced to point fingers
11:56to an opposition senator
11:58and a former presidential candidate
12:01as drug lords.
12:05The weight of the conspiracy against me
12:07was unbearable.
12:10This general couldn't live with the guilt
12:14of seeing me killed, he said,
12:16and warned me to destroy my Philippine SIM card
12:20and phone immediately,
12:23and told me because my phone
12:28is going to be wiretapped.
12:32My hands trembled
12:35as I realized how close death had come.
12:39I knew then that I was no longer just a target.
12:44I was in a battle for my life.
12:51We went straight to the U.S.
12:54and applied for political asylum.
12:58We were fortunate that the U.S.
13:02allowed us to apply for political asylum.
13:20This is proof that there was no reason
13:25for us to be given political asylum in March 2019.
13:34It was painful and sad,
13:36but I was forced to leave
13:39because I swore an oath of allegiance
13:42to my family
13:44and my country Ilonggo.
13:46I swore an oath
13:49not because I committed a crime,
13:52but because our lives are in danger.
14:22I swore an oath of allegiance
14:24not because I committed a crime,
14:26but because our lives are in danger.
14:28I swore an oath of allegiance
14:30not because I committed a crime,
14:32but because our lives are in danger.
14:34I swore an oath of allegiance
14:36not because I committed a crime,
14:38but because our lives are in danger.
14:40I swore an oath of allegiance
14:42not because I committed a crime,
14:44but because our lives are in danger.
14:46I swore an oath of allegiance
14:49should be allowed to wield
14:51such unchecked authority
14:53regardless of their position or power.
14:58The experience of others like me,
15:03especially the mayors who were appointed,
15:08has shown us
15:10the shortcomings and shortcomings
15:13of our law enforcement agencies.
15:17These institutions need to be strengthened
15:21so that they will not simply use
15:24or be influenced by politics.
15:26They should be able to serve with integrity,
15:30without bias,
15:32and with respect for the law.
15:35Our call to you is
15:38for justice to come first
15:41and for reform to take place
15:43in our system,
15:45particularly in the administration
15:47of our law enforcement agencies.
15:51Accusations must be duly validated
15:54and authenticated first
15:56before any public announcement
15:59to avoid shaming and destroying
16:03the honor, reputation, and good image
16:07of hardworking and innocent persons.
16:11Above all,
16:13those who abuse power should be punished.
16:20I hope that the hardships we have experienced
16:25such as oppression, persecution, trauma,
16:34and nothing else
16:37will not be experienced by others.
16:49And the truth will prevail
17:00and not the politics
17:04or personal interests of some.
17:08I'm sorry.
17:11Thank you very much to the Quad Committee
17:16for seven years of hardship.
17:25Thank you very much
17:27for giving us,
17:30me,
17:32and other victims
17:34a chance to clean up
17:38our names
17:41and those I love,
17:44Ilongo and Iloilo,
17:47who were called shabbalized.