After seven years in exile, former Iloilo City mayor Jed Mabilog strongly denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade during his first public appearance at a joint House committee hearing. Mabilog, who was accused by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, labeled the claims as “baseless” and “fabricated.”
Visibly emotional, Mabilog stated, “I was not, and never will be, a drug protector,” emphasizing that he never benefited from any drug-related activities. He recalled implementing anti-drug initiatives in Iloilo, which he said were ignored by the Duterte administration.
Mabilog fled the Philippines in 2017 due to threats to his life after being included in Duterte’s drug watch list. He claimed that President Duterte publicly threatened to have him killed and that these threats were serious.
Mabilog also revealed that his name may have been included in the narcolist for political reasons, particularly because Iloilo City voted for then-presidential candidate Mar Roxas in 2016, instead of Duterte.
Despite the accusations, no drug-related charges have been filed against Mabilog. He recently returned to the Philippines, surrendering to authorities and posting bail for unrelated graft charges filed in 2023.