ILOILO CITY – The priority of former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is to clear his name, not politics, after returning to the country from a seven-year exile in the United States, his lawyer said on Monday, September 16.
“Our focus is on clearing his name and the status of the cases,” said Jeric Jucaban, Mabilog’s legal counsel. “There was no clear discussion on politics yet,” Jucaban added.
FORMER Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog with Iloilo City Rep. Julienne ‘Jamjam’ Baronda at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila last week. (Office of Congresswoman Baronda)
Jucaban reiterated that Mabilog is focused on preparing to speak once the Quad Committee of the House of Representatives invites the former mayor to shed light on what happened during the Duterte drug war.
He said that Mabilog was able to reactivate his voter’s registration online. “But whether or not he will run in the next year’s election, it has not been discussed,” Jucaban added.
Mabilog’s return to the country was reportedly not just a step for the former mayor to clear his name as an alleged narco-politician but also a way for him to run for an elective position in the 2025 mid-term elections.
Mayor Jerry Treñas issued several statements for almost a month on the impact of Mabilog’s return, especially that political alliances are changing for the elections.
“Everyone can run. He might run for mayor, for vice mayor,” said Treñas on Monday. Treñas was a political ally of Mabilog before he left the country.
Treñas cut political ties with Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda who he said will be replaced by his daughter Raisa Treñas-Chu as the next congresswoman.
Baronda was instrumental in Mabilog’s return from exile as she told the Quad Committee last August 16 that she will convince Mabilog to come home and shed light on what happened to him.
Baronda was seen hugging Mabilog tightly when he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on September 10.
Mabilog and Baronda have a photo smiling at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Taft Ave. in Manila.
Mabilog’s wife, Marivic, thanked Baronda in various Facebook posts for her presence when they left the country in 2017 due to constant threats from then President Rodrigo R. Duterte.