FORMER Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog on Thursday disclosed that he terminated the services of his former spokesperson, controversial SMNI host Jeffrey Celiz, who was accused of spreading fake news, after learning that he had misused the ex-mayor’s name for his family vacation in Boracay.
Mabilog said that Celiz, also known as Ka Eric, was also included in the alleged fake drug list-turned-hit list that ex-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presented to the media at the height of his administration’s war on drugs that killed thousands of Filipinos.
He recounted the events that led to Celiz’s dismissal during a question-and-answer exchange with Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, who asked the former Iloilo mayor if Celiz worked for him as a spokesperson.
“Now, may I know if a certain Mr. Jeffrey Celiz, known as Ka Eric, was your former spokesperson?” asked Acop.
Mabilog responded affirmatively, adding that Celiz had served as his spokesperson in 2012. “Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Jeffrey Celiz was my spokesperson in 2012,” Mabilog confirmed.
He then revealed that the decision to terminate Celiz came after he received information that Celiz had misused his name during a family vacation.
“But upon information of a city councilor in 2013 that he and his family went to Boracay and used my name to spend his vacation in Boracay, upon learning that, Your Honor, I terminated the service,” Mabilog explained, clarifying that Celiz had no further connection with him after 2013.
“So, since 2013, he was no longer connected with me, Your Honor,” he added.
Acop then referenced Mabilog’s affidavit, asking about a name mentioned in the supposed drug list of the previous administration as a “member of the House of Representatives” despite not holding an elected position.
“In paragraph 5 of your affidavit, you said one name was described as a member of the House of Representatives despite not having been elected to any public office. Were you referring to Mr. Celiz?” Acop inquired.
Mabilog again confirmed, “Yes, Your Honor. His name was mentioned during that fateful night that he is a member of the House of Representatives, Your Honor.”
The discussion shifted to the controversial drug list, with Acop asking if Celiz’s name was included in the same list as Mabilog’s.
“And his name was included in that list also where your name was included?” Acop asked. Mabilog again affirmed, “Yes, Your Honor.”
According to paragraph 5 of Mabilog’s affidavit, he said, “The narco-list was later found to be inaccurate on its face after it was proven that two of the individuals included in the said list were long dead before its release, and one name was described to be a Member of the House of Representatives despite not having been elected to any public office. Former President Duterte himself acknowledged the unreliability of his narco-list when he subsequently removed the name of the Alcalas of Quezon Province from the list. Also, the Court of Appeals in Veloso v. PDEA et al., CA-G.R. SP No. 00005-WHD, June 8, 2021, even ordered all law enforcement agencies to remove Vicent S.E. Veloso’s name from the narco-list after finding that its inclusion therein violated his right to due process.”
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