DILG chief Remulla says Mabilog was a drug war victim

By Jennifer P. Rendon

ILOILO CITY — Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary and National Police Commission (Napolcom) chairperson Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla declared that DILG Undersecretary Jed Patrick Mabilog was a mere victim of the previous administration’s policy on the war on drugs.

Remulla made the pronouncement on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in front of Mabilog himself and hundreds of personnel of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 6.

The DILG chief was guest of honor during the ceremonial turnover of 20 emergency response motorcycles for Unified 911 at the PRO-6 headquarters in Camp Martin Delgado, Iloilo City.

Remulla said the previous administration used the war on drugs to pick out its political nemeses.

That campaign, he said, led to Mabilog being tagged a wanted man and driven into hiding abroad.

For Remulla, however, the war on drugs is not over.

Instead, “it has taken another form but it has justice and compassion,” he said.

Stressing again that Mabilog was a victim, Remulla said the administration brought him back to the fold “because I think he’s one of the most exceptional public servants that Iloilo has ever had and he’s performing well as undersecretary.”

Mabilog, a former Iloilo City mayor, left Iloilo City in 2017 after former President Rodrigo Duterte accused him on live television of protecting drug traffickers.

He remained in self-exile until September 2024, when he returned to the country.

On Aug. 29, 2017, the Ombudsman ordered Mabilog’s dismissal from the service after finding him guilty of serious dishonesty for his failure to explain a PHP 8,983,082.52 increase in his wealth.

On Oct. 23, 2017, the Ombudsman ordered his dismissal anew for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The second ruling cited a violation of Section 3 of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which bars public officials from holding a direct or indirect financial interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.

The Ombudsman found that Mabilog had a direct financial interest in 3L Towing Services, which later entered into a memorandum of agreement with the City Government of Iloilo, represented by Mabilog himself.

Under that agreement, the firm was to undertake the clamping or towing of illegally parked vehicles in Iloilo City without undergoing the competitive processes provided for under Republic Act No. 6957.

Months after his return, Mabilog appealed for an unconditional pardon but was granted executive clemency instead.

The clemency absolved him of the administrative penalties, making him eligible for appointive and elective office.

The 20 motorcycles turned over on Wednesday are intended to shorten response times for the Unified 911 emergency network across Western Visayas, which relies on police, fire, and medical units dispatched from a single hotline.