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[av_heading heading=’ ‘VINDICATION ISN’T ABROAD’ Iloilo City’s Mayor Mabilog urged to return ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday. September 15, 2017
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ILOILO City – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, accused of being a drug protector, can find vindication only here and not abroad, thus he must return, said his estranged political ally Councilor Plaridel Nava.
Mabilog took a 20-day sick leave starting Sept. 11, citing his diabetes mellitus type 2.
While the mayor certainly deserves to take a rest, said Nava, “he can never vindicate himself if he remains abroad.”
Mabilog’s chief accuser is President Rodrigo Duterte. However, a year since the President named and shamed the city mayor, no charges have been filed and no evidences have been presented.
Nava said Mabilog must return, “face his adversities and prove his innocence.”
“I believe he still enjoys the trust and confidence of the silent majority,” said Nava.
According to the mayor’s spokesperson Atty. Mark Piad, Mabilog is seeking treatment abroad and would return after Sept. 30 or even earlier. He did not say where the mayor is exactly.
“After all he has gone through, we can’t discount the fact that he has suffered like no man on earth has suffered,” said Nava.
But the councilor also stressed Iloilo City needs leadership.
In the absence of Mabilog, Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III is acting mayor.
“My unsolicited advice is for him to finish what he has started for the betterment of our constituents. I wish him well,” said Nava.
According to Piad, it should be business as usual at city hall even without Mabilog.
“The mayor’s directive is that we should all continue to perform our duties and mandates because we owe it to the people of Iloilo City,” said Piad.
He dismissed speculations that alleged t hreats on Mabilog’s life were what prompted the mayor to take a leave.
Upon the President’s order of a lifestyle check, a team from the National Bureau of Investigation conducted an ocular inspection of Mabilog’s house in Molo district on Aug. 31. That same day, Mabilog and wife Maria Victoria, a Canadian citizen, left for Japan, according to Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, citing Bureau of Immigration records.
Liga ng mga Barangay president and city council ex-officio member Reyland Hervias said there is nothing wrong with Mabilog seeking medical treatment abroad.
“Kon kinanglan gid ni mayor mag-leave for medical treatment, I think there’s nothing wrong with that. We always support our mayor,” said Hervias.
In a privilege speech on Tuesday, Nava addressed Mabilog: “If you feel that you are not safe, if you feel that your life is in danger, we can’t blame you if you relinquish your post and if you resign and give it to the vice mayor.”
Mabilog has denied being a drug protector, user or peddler.
Nava said he supports the national government’s campaign against illegal drugs “but it does not follow that we also support the intention to have the mayor killed or threatened to be killed.”
According to Nava, in 2015 when he accused Mabilog of having links to drug personalities in the city, he simply wanted to “awaken the mayor to perform his job and do more in the fight against illegal drugs.”
It was not his intention to expose the mayor to threats or to the possibility of being killed, he stressed.
Nava spoke against Mabilog during a December 2015 hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs then chaired by Sen. Grace Poe.
Last month even while on an extended vacation in Canada, Nava also defended Mabilog.
“I don’t think Jed deserves to be killed in such a brutal manner. It cannot be justified,” Nava posted on Facebook.
Mabilog was not a drug lord and to say that he would be the next “target” following the fatal raid on Ozamiz City’s Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. was speculative and even baseless, according to Nava.
Parojinog, his wife and 12 others were riddled with bullets. Policemen claimed the mayor put up a fight.
“The way I understand it, only drug lords occupying elective offices are the main targets for assassination. And Jed is not a drug lord, we all know that,” stressed Nava.
Parojinog was also tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte to illegal drugs./PN
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