By Francis Allan L. Angelo
President Rodrigo Duterte will not back down from calling out former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog whom he tagged to the illegal drug trade several years back.
The Duterte versus Mabilog episode sprung to life once more a week ago when the President mentioned Mabilog as among the public officials who were dismissed from office and perpetually barred from seeking public posts.
Hours after calling out Mabilog, the latter’s wife Marivic shot back at the President via Facebook by urging him to “get a life and move on.”
Marivic also called out Duterte for his perceived “obsession” over her husband.
But in a televised address Monday night, Pres. Duterte segued from the COVID-19 pandemic and again called out the Mabilog couple.
“Ito naman si Mabilog naga-yawyaw ‘yung asawa. Look, it is not my fault that your husband’s name appears on that list. Hindi aking listahan ‘yan. Now, there is no such thing as I have to move on because it’s a constant vigilance,” he said.
Duterte said he was merely reading the list of public officials who were dismissed by the Ombudsman for various offenses, which incidentally included the former mayor.
“Kung nasabi ko ang pangalan uli, because at that time he was named. Dito ngayon, ‘yung conviction niya, dismissed from public office and barred from seeking and perpetual disqualification to hold public office. That is not my decision. It is the decision of the Ombudsman.”
The President said he feels that it is his responsibility to tell the public what happens to officials who are mired in corruption while in office.
“Kailangan kong sabihin kasi hindi alam ng tao na si Mabilog wala dito, sumibat, at iyon ang nangyari sa kanya. That is different from the first time that I mentioned him. Take that away. That was general. Ito dito specific ‘yang mention niya because of what ma… Kasi — or would you rather that linyahin ko ‘yan sila tapos rakrakan ko na lang? It might help prevent — stop them from doing it and the public from being aware — or not from, but being aware of the people who are out to destroy their way of life.”
An hour later, Mrs. Mabilog again took to Facebook to respond to the President’s statement by repeating her call for him to move on and leave them alone.
He also called Duterte’s list of suspected drug personalities and protectors as fake.
“Apparently, aside from sleeping, he’s got no other better things to do. You are the president of the Philippines. Your drug list is as fake as a 15-peso bill. It’s not even worth the toilet paper it’s written on. Move on,” she said.
‘IT’S NOT MINE’
Before ranting at Mabilog, Pres. Duterte washed his hands of the so-called narco-list. The context of his denial was in relation to the assassination of Los Baños, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez last week.
Perez was also included in the narco-list which the President read in public in the early part of his administration.
While he condoled with the Perez family, Duterte practically disowned the list.
“First of all, I’m sorry that your father died the way it happened. Pero kung sabihin mong may… Iyang listahan na ‘yan hindi akin ‘yan. It’s a collation, lahat-lahat na ‘yan sa intelligence report sa mga drug enforcement at sa intelligence ng military, police. It’s a combination. Now, that list of mine which I read — because really everybody almost in the provinces… Marawi at that time was churning its full blast machineries to produce shabu. Kaya nag-rampant na masyado ang shabu, mura na masyado. Patayan na ang mga tao diyan sa naglakad kasi kinukuha ‘yung pera, mga estudyante.”
As the chief law enforcer of the country, the President said he felt compelled to reveal the list to the public.
“So as a strong measure, being in charge of enforcement of the law overall, I had to as a matter of duty of a President, the right of the people to be informed of the situation so that they can prevent, obstruct or just simply shy away from people who are known… It’s not mine. Remember that you are fighting the forces of the Republic of the Philippines. Iyan — iyan ang masasabi ko sa inyo. Hindi sa akin ‘yan, ibinigay lang sa akin. Hindi ako gumagawa ng listahan, hindi ako pulis, hindi ako sa intelligence dito po ako sa itong opisina ko dito sa Pasig nagtatrabaho,” he added.
Calling out officials in the narco-list is also part of the president’s obligations to the people and to prevent unscrupulous officials from further ascending to power.
“But as a matter, I said, as a matter of an obligation, I had to come up with the name of those suspected so that the public will be aware and prevent their ascension to public office. Iyon ang purpose ko thereon. At marami sa mga barangay captain, almost, more — more than one — more than 400 of them mga barangay captain, mga city mayors kasali doon.”
