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[av_heading heading=’TRUTH HAS COME OUT – MABILOG ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA and PRINCE GOLEZ
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Friday, March 31, 2017
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ILOILO City – The truth has come out, declared Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, and he hoped President Rodrigo Duterte would see it, too.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 6 said it had not found evidence linking Mabilog to illegal drugs.
“The truth will always come out. I am thankful that PDEA is standing by the truth,” said Mabilog yesterday.
The Department of Interior and Local Government formed Task Force Aguila to investigate Mabilog, too, following President Duterte’s tagging of the city mayor as an illegal drugs coddler in August last year. It has yet to come out with the results.
But Mabilog is confident he will be eventually cleared also.
“May investigation man nga gina-conduct ang mga agencies. This will come out in their reports, too,” Mabilog told Panay News.
He is hopeful that these would finally convince the President of his innocence.
During a meeting with mayors in Malacañang on Jan. 11, Duterte claimed Mabilog was a relative of slain suspected Iloilo City drug lord Melvin Odicta Sr. The mayor denied this.
According to PDEA Region 6 assistant director Levi Ortiz, their investigation and revalidation of information on public officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs were continuing but Mabilog was not among those being probed.
“Perhaps they have seen my efforts in the campaign against illegal drugs since I became mayor in 2010,” said Mabilog.
He also acknowledged the support of the Sangguniang Panlungsod that intended to inform the President about the programs and projects of city hall in support of the national government’s drive against drug trafficking.
“Kabay unta nga makita sang aton Presidente,” said Mabilog. He recently said he would be writing Duterte to clear his name.
The mayor said he supports the government’s antidrug program and efforts against criminality and corruption.
“All my public servant’s life I have been doing my best to serve my constituents well and in accordance with my mandate to bring positive change that would make lives better,” Mabilog told Panay News.
PDEA-6’s Ortiz, however, did not discount the possibility that other law enforcement units or “groups” may have information on Mabilog that the regional office did not have, and these may have reached the President.
“Baka may nakitang dahilan or evidence ang ating Pangulo kaya nabanggit ang pangalan niya. Pero sa ating office, hind isiya kasali sa iniimbestigahan sa ngayon,” Ortiz told Panay News.
He also said the mayor does not meddle in PDEA-6’s antidrug operations.
“In fairness kay Mayor Mabilog, he is supportive sa lahat ng programa natin against illegal drugs,” said Ortiz./PN
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