ILOILO CITY — Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda of this city has welcomed the return of former Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who was tagged as a narco-politician by then President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, after seven years of exile in the United States.
FORMER Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog hugs Iloilo City Rep. Julienne 'Jamjam' Baronda on his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, September 10. (Screengrab from Jamjam Baronda Facebook page)
“Dear Lord, thank you for his safe return. Welcome home, Toto Mayor Jed!” said Baronda in a Facebook post on Wednesday, September 11.
The Facebook post was accompanied by a video showing Baronda’s presence when he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila on Tuesday, September 10.
Mabilog and Baronda were seen hugging tightly in the video.
Baronda said during an August 16 congressional probe into the Duterte drug war that she might be able to convince Mabilog to come home.
She urged Mabilog to shed light on what happened to him and Iloilo City which she said was unfavorably tagged by Duterte as the most “shabulized” city in the country.
Baronda spokesperson Pastor Stanley Flores cited Mabilog's arrival.
“His courageous and selfless decision to return home and seek justice for his sullen reputation and for the tarnished image of Iloilo City is welcomed by the Ilonggos who love him and miss him, including Congresswoman Baronda,” said Flores in behalf of Baronda.
“We all know he was never a drug protector. We are all witnesses that our beloved Iloilo City was never the most shabulized,” Flores said.
“Congresswoman Baronda is one with all of you — our dear Ilonggos — in praying for his safe homecoming. May our dear Lord protect him,” added Flores.