Mabilog Confident Despite Petition Against Pardon

By Gerome Dalipe IV

Former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog expressed confidence in the legality of the executive clemency granted to him by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., despite a petition filed before the Supreme Court seeking to nullify it.

“I welcome any legal challenge to the executive clemency granted to me,” Mabilog said in a statement issued yesterday.

“The decision was made following established legal procedures, and I trust in the integrity and wisdom of the officials who reviewed my case,” he added.

The clemency, approved by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, restored Mabilog’s political rights.

It is based on Article VII, Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution, which grants the President the authority to extend executive clemency.

However, a 15-page certiorari petition questioned the constitutionality of the pardon, claiming it encroaches on the Office of the Ombudsman’s mandate.

The Ombudsman had dismissed Mabilog from service in an October 23, 2017, ruling, imposing a perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

The petitioner argued that the clemency undermines the Ombudsman’s decision and obstructs the administration of justice.

He also claimed that the pardon lacks procedural safeguards and asserted that the President’s clemency powers do not cover administrative dismissals without explicit statutory authority.

Mabilog’s legal counsel, Attorney Jeric Jucaban, dismissed these assertions, maintaining that the President’s clemency powers are explicitly outlined in the Constitution.

“There is no constitutional provision that excludes administrative dismissals by the Ombudsman from the scope of executive clemency,” Jucaban said.

He urged critics to base their arguments on sound legal interpretations rather than selective readings of jurisprudence.

Executive Secretary Bersamin, a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, defended the decision, citing Mabilog’s notable contributions during his tenure as Iloilo City mayor.

Bersamin highlighted Mabilog’s efforts in good governance, transparency, and anti-drug initiatives as significant factors in granting the clemency.

The Palace official also emphasized that the pardon not only restores Mabilog’s political rights but also recognizes his achievements in public service.

Mabilog, for his part, remains unfazed by the legal challenges.

“I am deeply grateful for this act of compassion and fairness. For me, the clemency is final and is the sole prerogative of the President,” he said.

He also stressed that questions regarding the legality of the pardon should be directed to the Executive Secretary, not him.

“After this, I will no longer entertain anything about this matter,” he added.