‘JUST SHUT UP’: Marivic Mabilog Slams Sen. Bato Over Exoneration Remarks

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Marivic Mabilog, wife of former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, criticized Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Wednesday, January 29, over his remarks about her husband’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs during his term.

In a statement on Tuesday, Dela Rosa acknowledged that the former mayor had made efforts to address the drug problem in Iloilo City and found no evidence of his direct involvement in illegal drug proliferation.

“When you say that he [Mabilog] really had a hand in the proliferation of [illegal] drugs, I’m not so sure. But I’m sure that in his own little way, he did make moves to address the [illegal] drug problem, but he wasn’t able to do it [completely],” Dela Rosa said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“The most that we can charge him is negligence if he ignored it, but when you say [if he had] direct involvement, I did not see anything during that time [as PNP chief],” he added.

While Jed Mabilog has not issued a statement, Marivic Mabilog responded to Dela Rosa through a scathing Facebook post.

‘JUST SHUT UP, BATO’

Marivic slammed Dela Rosa, claiming that official reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP) exonerated her husband of any connection to illegal drug operations.

“Just shut up, Bato,” she wrote. “The PNP report you received when you were the chief had clearly indicated that Jed was never involved in the protection of the drug lords. On the contrary, the report indicated that the proliferation went down, and distribution dens were ordered demolished by Jed himself.”

She highlighted that Jed Mabilog ordered the demolition of illegal drug dens, commonly known as “shabu tiangges,” during his first term in 2010, years before former President Rodrigo Duterte assumed power.

“Maybe that is why Duterte hated Jed. Davao’s distribution pipeline in Iloilo was hampered. The investigation on your fake war on drugs points to one motive anyway: elimination of the competition,” she said.

Marivic also questioned Dela Rosa’s motives for inviting her husband to a dinner at Camp Crame on August 28, 2017. She revealed that a police official had warned Jed against attending the meeting, citing potential danger.

“Oh, by the way, what was your motive again for inviting Jed over for dinner in your house inside Crame on Aug. 28, 2017? His better angels came in full force to protect him, right? He would have been your biggest catch in Duterte’s eyes,” she added.

STRUGGLES AND UNFORGIVEN WRONGS

Marivic reflected on her family’s ordeal after being forced into exile in 2017. She returned to the Philippines from Canada during her husband’s tenure but fled the country alongside their children after receiving threats.

“Jed may have forgiven you all in his heart, but that’s him. He lives his life practicing and adhering strictly to his Catholic faith. But not me, not yet, anyway. My story, my experience of your cruelty and injustice is personal for me,” she wrote.

Marivic admitted to struggling with forgiveness, saying, “Forgiveness, for me, is God’s sole prerogative. I had forgiven myself for detesting Duterte and his minions like yourself. Yes, forgiven MYSELF.”

DUTERTE’S PAST REMARKS RESURFACE

This is not the first time Marivic Mabilog has fired back at a Duterte ally.

In June 2022, Duterte mocked Jed Mabilog’s alleged luxurious lifestyle, referencing his home, which Duterte likened to a “palace.”

He added that Mabilog might stay in Canada for another six years after then-Vice President Leni Robredo, whom the Mabilog family supported, lost the 2022 presidential election.

In a Facebook post responding to Duterte’s comments, Marivic lashed out at his administration’s failure to address the real drug lords in the country.

“Ulianon ang mal-am ni nga yawa (Senile old devil). Old news. You had six years to prove to the world that Jed is guilty of your charges, and you came up empty. Zero. Zilch. That is why you could never get over him. Your lies just blew in your face,” she wrote.

“Kon ang imo bala nga energy gin direct mo na in finding the real drug lords, kundi tani, malipay ko sa imo (If you had directed your energy towards finding the real drug lords, then maybe I would be happy for you). Oh, but wait, normally you can’t smell the stink that is right under your nose, di ba? Look around you and look into the mirror. You will find the drug lords you have been pretending to look for,”  Marivic added.

RETURN FROM EXILE

After seven years of exile in Canada and the United States, Jed Mabilog returned to the Philippines in September 2024. During a hearing before the House of Representatives, he recounted how Duterte repeatedly accused him of being a drug protector and publicly threatened to kill him.

Jed fled the country in August 2017 following official duties in Malaysia and Japan, citing safety concerns after Duterte intensified his rhetoric against him.

Despite the challenges, the Mabilogs remain resolute in defending their name against allegations they believe were politically motivated.