DILG installs new mayor of Iloilo City

ILOILO CITY – Officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 6 wasted no time in serving the dismissal order yesterday against Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

DILG lawyers arrived at 12:30 p.m. at Mabilog’s office at the Iloilo City Hall to serve the order.

Lawyers Anthony Nuyda, DILG Region 6 director, and Cedrick Jaranilla, DILG-6 legal officer, together with Iloilo City lawyer Ferdinand Panes arrived at Mabilog’s office, which was already cleaned and the mayor’s personal items removed.

Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III was sworn in as acting mayor to serve the rest of the term of Mabilog until the midterm elections in 2019.

As earlier assured by Mabilog’s camp, the service of the order was done without fuss or resistance.

Jaranilla read the dispositive portion of the order dismissing Mabilog from holding public office.

“Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is found guilty of serious dishonesty relative to his unlawful acquisition of wealth. Accordingly, he is meted penalty of dismissal from the service with cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and bar from taking civil service examinations,” the order stated.

“In the event that the penalty of dismissal can no longer be enforced against respondent, the penalty shall be converted into fine in the amount equivalent to his salary for one year, payable to the Office of the Ombudsman, or may be deductible from his retirement benefits, accrued leave credits or any receivable from his respective office. It shall be understood that the accessory penalties attached to the principal penalty of dismissal shall continue to be imposed.”

“Jed Patrick Mabilog is hereby directed to cease and desist from exercising the powers, functions and privileges of the office of the City Mayor of Iloilo or from any other government position he may now or afterwards hold effec- tive immediately upon receipt hereof,” according to Jaranilla, who read the order.

“Furthermore, Mayor Mabilog is hereby directed to turn over all properties and documents to the office of and functions to Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III, who shall assume office as local chief executive of Iloilo City who shall serve the unexpired portion of his term.”

Lawyer Joenar Pueblo, Mabilog’s counsel, received the dismissal order.

“As counsel, I will receive this but then again, as stated, this should be personally received by Mayor Jed, no citizen Jed Patrick Mabilog,” he pointed out.

But the DILG-6 officials stated that the order is executory pending appeal.

As Espinosa was present, he immediately took office.

Espinosa said that he would only aim for good governance for the people of Iloilo City.

He also vowed to continue the good things Mabilog has started.

The newly designated mayor said that he would work to make Iloilo City a safer place where people could sleep peacefully and go out at night without any fear.

Meanwhile, Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, Mabilog’s ally, said that they sympathize with the ousted mayor.

Last Sunday, Pueblo said they will file a petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) following reports that the DILG will immediately implement the dismissal order.

Pueblo will file this week a petition for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Revised Rules of Court, with the prayer for issuance of TRO before the Court of Appeals.

“But if they can’t be stopped, we couldn’t do anything about. What we are asking is for them to wait until we could file a petition for a TRO,” he said.

If the DILG would insist, Pueblo added they would just contest the dismissal order before the Court of Appeals, or even the Supreme Court.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed Mabilog’s dismissal after he was found guilty of serious dishonesty for his alleged questionable wealth.

President Duterte has repeatedly accused Mabilog of being a narco-politician.