Marcos pardons Mabilog who was linked by Duterte to drug trade

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pardoned former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who was linked to the drug trade by the Duterte administration.

In a Viber message to reporters Monday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed reports that Marcos granted executive clemency—presidential pardon, to be exact—to Mabilog.

“Yes, that’s true,” Bersamin replied when asked about the matter.

READ: Duterte: Mabilog’s house is ‘like a palace’

In a separate statement, Bersamin said that Mabilog’s executive clemency was in connection with his administrative case in 2017.

“In view of former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog’s long standing commitment to good governance, coupled with awards and recognition received by Iloilo City under his leadership, the President granted Mabilog’s petition for executive clemency in connection with his administrative case, thereby removing the penalties or disabilities resulting from such case,” he said.

READ: NBI starts probe on Mabilog

In 2017, Mabilog was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for failing to explain his questionable wealth worth P8.9 million from 2012 to 2013.
Bersamin said that the presidential pardon also reverts Mabilog’s right to run for public office.

Political career

In a press conference last September, the month in which Mabilog returned to the country, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the ex-mayor’s return may be because he is planning to relaunch his political career.

READ: Remulla sees ex-Iloilo mayor political comeback after return to PH

“It’s his decision to make, and he went home to, I think, rejoin the political landscape. Babalik siya,” Remulla said.(He’ll return.)

While he did not file a certificate of candidacy (COC) for the May 2025 polls, the Commission on Elections earlier said Mabilog could file his COC pending the reactivation of his voter registration.Former President Rodrigo Duterte had accused Mabilog of being involved in the illegal drug trade.

Fearing for his life, Mabilog left the country in August 2017 to attend a conference in Japan.

He and his family have not returned since then.

Drug watchlist

Mabilog only went back to the Philippines on September 10, 2024 under the new administration to clear his name as he was included in the Duterte administration’s drug watchlist, although no charges were ever filed against him relating to illegal drugs.

On the other hand, the former is facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly meddling with the awarding of a government contract to a towing services firm in which he and former Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava II supposedly have vested interests.

Nava is also included in the charge sheet.

The two Iloilo officials purportedly signed a memorandum of agreement with 3L Towing Services in 2015, allowing the firm to clamp and tow illegally parked vehicles in the city without undergoing the competitive processes required under Republic Act 6957.

Both were also accused of issuing business and mayor’s permits to 3L Towing Services, even it the owner did not even apply for such permits.