FORMER Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog appeared before the House Quad Committee Thursday to reveal a disturbing plot to falsely implicate former Senators Mar Roxas and Franklin Drilon in illegal drugs during the Duterte administration.
Mabilog, who had been in self-imposed exile for seven years, testified about the political pressure he faced after being included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco-list.”
When asked by Quad Committee co-chairman Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano to identify the political figures mentioned in his affidavit, Mabilog confirmed, “Yes,” when asked if they were former Senator Mar Roxas and his cousin, former Senator Franklin Drilon.
Mabilog explained that his inclusion in the narco-list was purely politically motivated.
“It is all about politics,” he said.
He emphasized that the Duterte administration’s list was used as a weapon against its political enemies, without any proper vetting or validation, describing it as a “hit list.”
Mabilog firmly denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade, stating, “Una po sa lahat (First of all), I declare that I was not and never will be a drug protector! I don’t know personally nor did I benefit in any way from any illegal drug personality in Iloilo or anywhere else.”
The former mayor recounted a terrifying series of events that began in 2017, shortly after his name was included in Duterte’s list.
He detailed an invitation to meet with then-PNP chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa at Camp Crame, which was abruptly followed by chilling warnings about a threat to his life.
“At around 5 p.m., a PNP colonel called me in a voice that sent shivers down my spine… warned me not to go to Camp Crame because my life was in danger,” Mabilog revealed.
That same evening, Mabilog’s wife received a text message, further intensifying their fears.
“Do not proceed, there are 20 men surrounding your house. And if you go to Camp Crame, they will kill you,” the message read, according to Mabilog.
He described the terror he felt, saying, “The terror was paralyzing, I couldn’t believe it. My life and my family’s life was hanging by a thread.”
Fearing for his safety, Mabilog fled the country, taking the first available flight to Japan. Upon arriving, he received a call from Gen. Dela Rosa, who expressed sympathy and assured Mabilog of his innocence.
“Mayor naaawa ako sayo, tutulungan kita, inosente ka (Mayor, I pity you, I will help you, you’re innocent),” Dela Rosa reportedly said.
Despite Dela Rosa’s reassurance, another high-ranking general soon warned Mabilog to stay abroad.
“The accusations against you are all fabricated, but if you go to Crame, you’ll be forced to point fingers to an opposition senator and a former presidential candidate as drug lords,” Mabilog recalled the warning he received.
In the end, Mabilog chose not to return, resisting the pressure to falsely implicate political figures in Duterte’s drug war.
His testimony Thursday shed light on the Duterte administration’s use of the narco-list as a political tool, rather than a legitimate law enforcement measure.
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