Face drug raps, Palace tells Mabilog

MALACAÑANG on Saturday urged former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to return to the Philippines and face all the accusations linking him to the illegal drug trade.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque made the call after Mabilog’s wife, Maria Victoria, lashed out at President Rodrigo Duterte for “threatening” to kill her husband if he returns to the country.

Speaking to reporters in Iloilo, Roque reminded Mabilog that hatred)?” Roque said.

“He ( Mabilog) is in the drug list, local government units or leaders who are in the drug list provided by different law enforcement agents of the government,” he added.

Duterte, in a speech in Tarlac City on Wednesday, again lashed out at Mabilog, saying he will really kill him if he returns to the country.

( He did not come home anymore because I will really kill him),” the President said.

Mabilog, who has been tagged by the President as a narco- politician, left the country amid fears he might be the next druglinked politician to die under the Duterte administration.

The mayor has denied the President’s allegations. His wife and children have also left the country.

In October, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of Mabilog after he was found guilty of serious dishonesty in relation to his “unlawful acquisition of wealth.”

The guilty verdict was handed down by the Ombudsman after Mabilog was accused of failing to properly account his sources of wealth as seen in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net worth ( SALN).

Based on his SALN, Mabilog’s wealth increased by almost P9 million to P68,341,622.40 in 2013 from P59,358,539.89 in 2012 “due to his new real property and investments.”