By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
Former city councilors Mandrie Malabor and Carlos Javellana will return to the Iloilo City Hall after their respective re-election losses last year, but this time to help Mayor Jerry Treñas in some of the city’s key offices and programs.
Treñas confirmed in a press conference on Monday that Malabor and Javellana have been appointed as executive assistants.
Malabor will be assisting with the services of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, particularly with the daycare centers, and Javellana will be taking the helm of barangay programs such as libraries and youth and senior citizen centers.
Both supported the mayor in his 2022 re-election bid, with Javellana forming part of the mayor’s official slate under the National Unity Party (NUP), and Malabor running under the local Uswag Ilonggo Party.
They both lost the election after placing 14th and 15th in the official results, respectively.
Malabor entered the city council in 2016 under former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog’s local Liberal Party slate, and Javellana won in 2019 under Treñas’ local NUP slate.
Malabor is the son of the late former mayor Mansueto Malabor while Javellana is a former village chief of Loboc in Lapuz district.
Javellana became controversial in 2021 when he and his wife were arrested for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 7832 (Anti-electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act of 1994) after it was found that a ‘jumper’ connection was found in their water refilling station.
