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BY LUIS BUENAFLOR JR.
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Friday, Agusto 4, 2017
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Jed Mabilog is not afraid!
FIRST, it was Rolando Espinosa, the mayor of Albuera, Leyte who was killed while in jail last Nov. 5, 2016. He was detained at the Baybay City provincial jail due to his arrest for possession of illegal drugs.
According to the police, Espinosa was killed during a shootout he initiated when the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) came to the jail to serve him a search warrant.
Then just a few days ago, Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., suspected of involvement in the illegal drugs trade, was among 15 shot dead by police in raids they conducted on Sunday. His wife and brother were also killed in an exchange of gunfire between the mayor’s security team and police serving search warrants in the family’s properties.
And what do these two slain mayors have in common? You guess it right, they were all in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of government officials involved in illegal drugs.
So what has “I Am Iloilo” Mayor Jed Mabilog got to do with these slain mayors?
Just like the two, Jed Mabilog is also prominent in President Duterte’s list of “naughty” public officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
In fact, Jed Mabilog was mentioned several times by President Duterte as an illegal drugs protector, along with it calling “I Am Iloilo” as the “most shabu-lized” city and recently as the “bedrock of drugs.”
Anybody who’s supposed to be somebody in “I Am Iloilo” has been speculating that “I Am Iloilo’s” former World Mayor No. 5 Jed Mabilog is next on the so-called hit list of narco-politicians.
So, is Jed Mabilog afraid that President Duterte has set his sights on him?
Moi does not think so; Jed seems to be made of much sterner stuff. He seems to be taking all these in stride. For sure, he has sleepless nights just thinking that anytime the axe will fall on his neck and he probably squirmed in his drawers upon learning what happened to Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. But that is to be expected; after all, Jed is human with fears and anxieties.
Moi believes that should the police with a search warrant comes knocking in the dead of the night at the door of his lovely white mansion by the Esplanade, Jed will not hide under the skirt of his charming wife Marivic but will face them like a man.
And, hide that mischievous smile, of course Jed Mabilog is a man. He is not a woman trapped in a man’s body. Putting up a brave front takes courage and moi is certain Jed Mabilog has an ample supply of courage. Not anybody can be World Mayor No. 5 and being formerly one exudes bravery.
One cannot help but admire Jed Mabilog’s efforts to carry on. Remember that tough-talking pseudo communist Jeffrey Celiz who fancied himself as Jed Mabilog’s hard man? At the first mention of his name by President Duterte linking him to the illegal drugs trade, he crawled to the nearest hole and never came out.
Unlike that coward Celiz, Jed is still at city hall being mayor of “I Am Iloilo.”
Here are excerpts from the Aug. 1 issue of Panay News:
“There is nothing to fear, according to Mabilog, because he supports the President’s campaign against criminality ‘and most especially against illegal drugs.’
“Invoking his ‘clear conscience’, Mabilog said, ‘I have performed my role as mayor of this city in the fight against illegal drugs. I poured financial and logistical support to the lead agencies – the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the police.’
“Mabilog said he leaves it up to the President to assess if the city government is truly supportive of the campaign.
“‘Here in Iloilo City, we have not been negligent. Our campaign against drug trafficking is nonstop. For one year, todo-todo ang kampanya naton bangod sa aton pagsuporta, pagsabat sa panawagan sang Presidente,’ said Mabilog.
“Aside from supporting PDEA and the police logistically, the mayor said, the city government also established drug rehabilitation centers and designed livelihood and skills training programs for drug surrenderers.”
Of course, we have yet to see a drug lord or big-time pusher arrested or neutralized through the leadership and efforts of Mayor Jed Mabilog. Shouting “I will kill drugs!” just won’t do. You have to actually kill drug lords or pushers.
Jed, show them that you are not the Lin-ay sang Iloilo but the Datu Paiburong sang Iloilo. Shot a few drug lords and pushers and you’re made till the end of President Duterte’s term. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
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