REGION-WIDE WITCH HUNT? WV officials face lifestyle check – NBI

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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Monday. September 18, 2017
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ILOILO City – Aside from Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog of this city, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Region 6 is also subjecting to lifestyle check other current and past government officials in Western Visayas.

These officials included the mayors that President Rodrigo Duterte accused of being drug protectors in a speech last year, according to NBI-6 director Max Salvador.

He named some for lifestyle checking over DyOK Aksyon Radyo Iloilo on Saturday night such as Mayor Rene Cordero of Estancia, Iloilo and former mayor Neptali Salcedo of Sara, Iloilo; mayors Ike Patricio of Pilar, Capiz and Angel Alan Celino of Roxas City; Mayor Jose Jeffrey Lomugdang of Culasi, Antique; and former congressman JC Rahman Nava of Guimaras province.

August last year, the President tagged Mabilog along with Iloilo mayors Mariano Malones of Maasin, Alex Centena of Calinog and Siegfredo Betita of Carles as drug protectors. All of them, however, denied this and more than a year after the President named and shamed them, none has been charged.

Salvador did not say how the NBI would go about with the lifestyle check. On Aug. 31, however, a team from his office conducted an ocular inspection of Mabilog’s residential compound in Molo district. They took photos.

Mayor Cordero welcomed the lifestyle check. He denied being a drug protector and believed he was a victim of political intrigue.

Cordero also said he was supportive of the national government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

President Duterte claimed local chief executives and “gangs” control the distribution of illegal drugs in the Visayas. He then branded Iloilo the “bedrock” of illegal drugs in a speech at the 120th anniversary of the Presidential Security Group on June 28.

Mabilog is currently abroad on sick leave but in a statement issued after President Duterte ordered a lifestyle check on him, he said, “I can assure the President not a single centavo of dirty money was spent” for his residence.

“I have nothing to hide. My house, while often described as a palace, is not quite a palace. The land or compound on which our circa 1800s ancestral home stands was inherited and the house was built on a more or less 200-square meter portion. It is not as big as pictures would make it appear,” he said.

October last year, Mabilog opened his house to the local media in an effort to dispel insinuations of corruption or drug money used. The Department of Interior and Local Government’s Task Force Agila was then investigating him and other local government officials that Duterte linked to illegal drugs. Before the task force was able to complete its investigation, however, it was dissolved following the firing of then Interior secretary Ismael Sueno in April this year.

There were claims Mabilog spent P50 million for his residence. According to his wife Marivic, however, it cost “a little less than P8 million.”

“Modesty aside, I and my wife were already running a number of businesses before I joined politics. I was already living a comfortable life in Manila as an entrepreneur when I came home to run for city councilor. I didn’t become rich because of politics, much unlike many politicians,” said Mabilog.

Mabilog served as city councilor from 2004 to 2007 and vice mayor from 2007 to 2010. He was elected mayor in 2010 and reelected in 2013 and 2016.

The Mabilog residence was completed in 2015 after three years of construction./PN
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