[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’WHAT’S IN JED’S WHITE HOUSE?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
Mabilog: What drug money? We saved and worked hard
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
ILOILO City – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog opened his residence by the Iloilo River, the so-called “White House”, to the press in a bid to dispel insinuations he has unexplained wealth.
The city’s chief executive is currently being investigated by the Department of Interior and Local Government’s Task Force Agila created to probe local officials that President Rodrigo Duterte linked to illegal drugs.
Mabilog and wife Marivic toured journalists in and around their white-painted, two-storey residence yesterday. They denied spending P50 million for its construction.
“Kamo mismo maka-validate kon amo gid man ang presyo sang balay, kon amo gid man na kadako ang balay,” Mayor Mabilog told journalists.
What looks like a tower or third floor from a distance is actually an attic, the Mabilogs revealed.
Their residence cost “a little less than P8 million,” according to Mrs. Mabilog who retired December last year after two decades of working in Canada as a comptroller and vice president for finance of a company.
“We saved (money) for this house. That’s why I’m really proud to show it off kag para makita man nila ang fruits of our labor,” she said.
March this year, the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas approved the filing of charges against Mabilog for unexplained wealth, noting that a lifestyle check indicated possible violations of Republic Act 1379 (Unexplained Wealth Act).
In a 16-page report, the Ombudsman-Visayas noted that Mabilog’s net worth nearly tripled in just one year when he was vice mayor, out of proportion to his lawful income.
Mrs. Mabilog said they opened their residence to the media “to tell everyone the truth about this house.” She lamented that her husband was getting unfairly criticized.
Their residence may have been perceived by critics as a mansion because of its design, said Mrs. Mabilog, pointing to what she called a “tore-tore” (tower).
But it was not out of caprice that the residence was designed with such, she said.
The “tore-tore” was built to maintain the “civil integrity” of the residence, she explained.
“Kay ang building is on a soft structure. We live by the river, daw banting na siya, daw pareho na sa suspension bridge. Kita n’yo na mga banting to stabilize the structure? Amo na kon nga-a may tore-tore. Mabutang na man lang sang taas, so panamion mo na lang, aesthetics-wise kag mapuslan,” said Mrs. Mabilog.
The tore-tore is “kwarto na da sang bata namon,” she revealed.
The Mabilog residence stands on a 200-squar meter lot. It was completed in 2015 after three years of construction.
Mayor Mabilog said it was his wife’s idea to invite the media to their residence, the ground floor of which serves as a receiving area for guests.
The second floor is where the Mabilogs’ living room is located. A few steps from it are the dining area and kitchen.
The couple’s bedroom is also on the second floor.
The tore-tore has two small rooms for the couple’s two children, the nine-year-old Nathan and 21-year-old Mikaela.
“(Si) Marivic gid na ang nagpundar sini,” said the mayor. He denied any involvement in drug trafficking.
Mrs. Mabilog said she was hurting over the allegation.
“We know very well how we worked hard. People are recklessly and irresponsibly adducing nga kun diin mo na ‘ya ginkuha. Hopefully you guys now have a clear idea of the truth,” she said.
Mayor Mabilog told journalists: “Segurado gid ko na ‘ya because I know myself and my family. Sabton ko lang na ‘ya kag atubangon ang investigation.”
It was journalist and former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada who filed the complaint against Mabilog for alleged unexplained wealth on Nov. 16, 2011.
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./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
