[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=’Iloilo City lost good leader – Defensor ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – With the ouster of Jed Patrick Mabilog as mayor, this city lost a good leader, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
“But we have the consolation that he had done a lot in ensuring the progress and development of the city of Iloilo,” said Defensor.
The Office of the Ombudsman fired Mabilog for “serious dishonesty relative to his unlawful acquisition of wealth.”
“Naga-upod ako kag akon pamilya sa kasubo sa natabo sa iya,” said Defensor.
The governor and Mabilog were allies under Liberal Party (LP) in the 2016 elections.
In May this year, Mabilog quietly left the LP to become an independent. Defensor, on the other hand, is poised to join this month the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Mayor Mabilog worked hard. We’ve seen this through the progress of the city under his watch,” said Defensor.
Mabilog was elected mayor in 2010 and reelected in 2013 and 2016. He served as city councilor from 2004 to 2007 and vice mayor from 2007 to 2010.
Defensor said Mabilog’s dismissal from the service saddened him. He expressed confidence that his friend would overcome this ‘temporary” setback.
“Temporaryo man lang ini. Indi man kita kaseguro kon ano pinal nga resulta sang iya kaso. I-apelar ‘ya ini sa Court of Appeals,” said Defensor.
He urged Mabilog, who is currently abroad, not to be discouraged.
“He should have faith and respect in the judicial processes. In the end, justice will prevail,” said Defensor, a lawyer.
Mabilog’s legal counsel, Joenar Pueblo, said they would file a petition for certiorari at the Court of Appeals (CA) challenging the Ombudsman ruling.
“Let the CA appreciate it. The point is we will not stop,” said Pueblo. Indi namon pag-deprive si Mayor Jed sang tanan nga legal remedies nga pwede ‘ya magamit.”
Defensor, meanwhile, wished the new Iloilo City mayor, Jose Espinosa III, well.
“Nagapati ako tinguhaan ‘ya man nga mapadayun ang pag-uswag sang syudad,” said Defensor.
To justify the P8.9-million increase in his net worth (in one year from 2012 to 2013) thru acquisitions of new real property and investments, Mabilog cited his several businesses and submitted his wife’s Income Tax and Benefits Returns (from 2007 to 2009) and Tax Reassessments (from 2010 to 2012).
But the Ombudsman was not convinced. It said Mabilog did not present “proof material to the period covered” (2012 to 2013), specifically his wife’s 2013 lawful source of income and proof of income from the mayor’s business interests disclosed in his SALNs.
“The confluence of the foregoing circumstances leads to the inevitable conclusion that respondent, in not sufficiently presenting valid proof of his or his wife’s lawful incomes to justify his acquisition of wealth…within a span of one year, is indeed guilty of acts of dishonesty and is motivated by bad faith,” read part of the Ombudsman’s decision./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
