BY PRINCE GOLEZ and GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte went on an expletive-filled rant against former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog in a speech before members of the Filipino community in South Korea.
The outspoken wife of Mabilog, Maria Victoria, was fair game on Facebook and right away told the President to take a grip of himself and see a mental health doctor.
Duterte, an outspoken critic of Mabilog, had accused the former mayor of being a narco-politician.
“De p*** nga… Sabi tanong siya na gusto niya akong kausapin. Sabi ko, ‘no’. Siya ang isunod ko p**** i** siya. Wala na… Wala kayong mayor ngayon,” he said on Sunday night.
Mabilog left the country in August 2017. He and his family are widely believed to be in Canada now.
The Chief Executive urged Mabilog never to return to the country.
“Mabilog, sabi ko, ‘huwag ka lang talagang umuwi,’” said Duterte.
Mrs. Mabilog lost no time reacting on Facebook. “Balik-balik issue? Indi gid siya ya ka get over kay Jed?”
Using the hashtag #EnoughOfDuterte and emojis, she asked her social media followers, “If you have a direct line to Duterte, tell him to take a grip (of himself) and see his mental health doctor. Then he should take his medications regularly .”
Duterte previously admitted to taking fentanyl, a potent pain reliever that in high levels killed US music superstar Prince in April 2016.
“Gina-convince ‘ya gid todo-todo self niya kag minions niya nga Jed did something wrong even if it weren’t true?” read part of Mrs. Mabilog’s Facebook post.
Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque previously said Mabilog’s leaving the country won’t end his legal problems.
There is an ongoing investigation on Mabilog.
The national government seeking Mabilog’s extradition is a possibility, according to Roque.
The Philippines and Canada have an extradition treaty that took effect on Nov. 7, 1989. It is an agreement between the two states to surrender an alleged criminal for the purpose of prosecuting the person or imposing or enforcing a sentence on the person.
October last year, the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Mabilog from government service after being charged with serious dishonesty for his failure to explain the P8.9-million increase in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth from 2012 to 2013.
In January 2018, the ex-mayor was again ordered dismissed for grave misconduct and serious dishonesty over an alleged anomalous towing deal in 2015.
Mrs. Mabilog had accused Duterte of plotting to kill her husband. On Facebook she posted early this year, “It’s been a year and a half of accusations (but) no proof to show.”
During a visit to Iloilo four months ago, Duterte stressed how serious the illegal drug problem in the country was then mentioned Mabilog.
“Yung isa, si Mabilog, has been linked several times in the different sources sa intelligence. That’s why nasabi ko na ‘target kita’ kasi lahat ng impormasyon na pumasok, eh galing Army, Navy, Air Force, Police eh nandoon ‘yung pangalan niya…Kita mo hindi na umuuwi ang buang,” said Duterte in February.
Mrs. Mabilog challenged the President to release his “validated” drug list.
“On the contrary, intelligence reports reveal that Jed was never involved in any illegal drug trade or activity,” she posted on Facebook. “We are not the party that has anything to hide. Hadlok lang kami kay patyon mo gid ya kami.”
In August 2016 Duterte tagged Mabilog a drug protector and Iloilo as “most shabulized.”
“Lantawa bala obra mo. (It) (s)hows how weak you are…Insinuations and persecutions based on false and made-up evidence is your game,” according to the former mayor’s wife.
She had another one for Duterte yesterday: “Digong, stop using violence to cover up your inadequacies and inefficiencies. Kaloka ka .”/PN
