ILOILO City – As Lent approaches, Mayor Jerry Treñas is appealing for a pause in political attacks and public discord, urging Ilonggos to reflect and pray instead of fueling division.
“As we enter this sacred season of Lent, I am calling on everyone — not just as a leader, but as a fellow Ilonggo — to pause, reflect, and pray. This is not the time for noise, for accusations, or for fueling division,” Treñas said in a public statement. “Ceasefire anay. Let us all focus on what truly matter: our conscience, our faith, and our responsibility to the truth.”
Treñas emphasized that his call for introspection should not be mistaken for weakness, but seen as “discipline” and a conscious decision “to rise above the noise in the name of Christ, our faith, peace, unity, and the truth.”
The mayor’s appeal comes amid rising tensions between his camp and that of Cong. Julienne Baronda and former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog over allegations involving the city’s past record on illegal drugs.
In response to a paid social media post by Iloilo Graftwatch linking him to drug personalities, Treñas earlier issued a strong denial and defended his record in public service.
“At no point in my career have I ever been named by the PNP, PDEA, or President Duterte as a drug protector,” Treñas said, adding that even a former spokesperson of Mabilog had been linked to illegal drugs.
Treñas noted that during his time in Congress from 2010 to 2019, he had no involvement in law enforcement matters, and even declined then-Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s offer to chair the House Committee on Justice to investigate the controversial drug list.
“I had no Executive Assistants in Congress, proving that claims linking me to illegal activities through so-called ‘assistants’ are false,” he added.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte had publicly linked Mabilog to illegal drugs, an accusation that Mabilog had consistently denied.
“The people of Iloilo City deserve the truth,” Treñas said. “I remain committed to good governance, public service, and keeping Iloilo City free from illegal drugs.”/PN
