đź“·Former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog
Malacañang confirmed on Monday, January 27, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. granted former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog executive clemency after the Duterte administration linked the former official to being involved in the illegal drug trade.
In a Viber message to reporters Monday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed reports that Marcos granted executive clemency – presidential pardon, to be exact – to Mabilog.
“Yes, that’s true,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a brief statement to reporters on Viber.
Mabilog, who served as mayor of Iloilo City from 2010 to 2017, has faced legal challenges and allegations that led to his removal from office and self-imposed exile.
Mabilog faced charges under the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act” before the Sandiganbayan Third Division, as well as allegations of violating the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” at the Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Cebu.
Fearing for his safety, Mabilog departed the country in August 2017 to attend a conference in Japan, but he and his family chose not to return afterward.
It was only on September 10, 2024, under the new administration, that Mabilog returned to the Philippines to clear his name. He had been listed on the Duterte administration’s drug watchlist, though no formal charges related to illegal drugs were ever filed against him.
For his part, Mabilog’s legal counsel Jeric Jucaban described the latest decision as a “remarkable victory.”
“Today, we celebrate a remarkable victory! A heartfelt thank you to President Bongbong Marcos for granting clemency to former Mayor Jed Mabilog,” Jucaban said in a statement on Facebook.
“This incredible news represents not only a new chapter for Mayor Mabilog and his family but also validation for those who believed in justice and second chances,” he added. (TCSP)
