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BY LUIS BUENAFLOR JR.
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Are we seeing a new Jed Mabilog?
WE’RE seeing some changes in “I Am Iloilo” lately, particularly with former World Mayor No. 5 Jed Patrick Mabilog. He seems to have softened up, in Tagalog, “parang lumambot” and I do not mean it that way if you know what I mean.
Jed no longer shouts in that shrill voice “I will kill drugs!” He now espouses Federalism and he does this by not requiring all barangay captains to put up tarpaulins proclaiming such, neither gathering them for some kind of summit in Jaro Plaza.
To show to the world, and in particular President Rodrigo Duterte, that his new advocacy is Federalism, he puts up streamers in public plazas proclaiming it. Of course, it’s also no coincidence that Federalism is one if not the main advocacy of President Duterte.
To transform the Philippines into a progressive federal form of government is the legacy President Duterte wants to be remembered by.
One of the changes that just happened lately to the former World Mayor No. 5 is his demeanor toward the media. He has always had this adversarial stance; he considers media his staunchest critics. Now that has seem to take a 360 degrees turn. He met the media halfway by giving in to what has been the bone of contention between him and the country’s oldest press club, the Iloilo Press Club.
For five long years he refused to give them the right to occupy the Iloilo Press Club building in Molo which is, by a funny twist of fate or design, is just a stone’s throw away from his “white mansion.” It, of course, was also not a coincidence that the building was donated by his political adversary and staunch critic, businessman/journalist turned politician Rommel Ynion.
Thursday last week in a simple ceremony at Iloilo City Hall before the president and members of the Iloilo Press Club, former World Mayor No. 5 Jed Patrick Mabilog signed a resolution of the Iloilo City Council that gives the Iloilo Press Club the right to occupy their building for 50 years (which I hope is renewable and not limited when the 50 years are up).
Adversity, indeed, changes a man. In the case of former World Mayor No. 5 Jed Patrick Mabilog, I sincerely hope it’s for good.
We all know that he has been identified by President Duterte as a “protector of illegal drugs “and he is now being investigated. His power of supervision over the police has been stripped effectively, making him a “lame duck.” And it is because of this tag as a “protector of illegal drugs” that Iloilo City has been called by President Duterte as the “most shabu-lized city” in the country.
Former World Mayor No. 5 Jed Patrick Mabilog is now facing the greatest fight in his entire political life. He is fighting for his life and freedom literally, and from the look of things the odds are stacked against his favor.
I certainly don’t envy him. In fact I sort of pity him. He seems to be in this fight alone. And from recent developments, it seems even his closest political allies may not be able to help him.
Perhaps this indirect reconciliation with the Iloilo Press Club is his way of atoning for all the wrongs committed against the Iloilo Press Club. After all, the Iloilo Press Club members were just doing what they’re supposed to do, which is to report the news and their analysis of the events affecting our daily lives.
And what about Rommel Ynion, the real reason that nobody wants to admit why the Iloilo Press Club was basically not allowed to occupy their own building? What happened to him? Well, the guy is laughing himself to the bank as his latest endeavors – from being an organic farmer to restaurateur – are successful and raking in huge profits. Too bad his incursion into politics did not turn out well; he lost both his bids for mayor of Iloilo City (against Jed, of course) and his latest as councilor also of Iloilo City.
I must say politics is not Rommel Ynion’s cup of tea but then again I could be wrong./PN
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