Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog Dismissed From Service For Unexplained Wealth

The Office of the Ombudsman has found Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog guilty of serious dishonesty and meted him the penalty of dismissal from the service and perpetual disqualification from public office.

The Ombudsman handed down the guilty verdict after Mabilog failed to properly account or explain his sources of income, which resulted to an increase in his net worth by over P8.9 million in a span of one year.

The Ombudsman said Mabilog’s Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALN) increased to P68,341,622.40 in 2013 from P59,358,539.89 in 2012 “due to his new real property and investments.”

“Thus, within one year respondent’s net worth increased by P8,983,082.52, which by any standard, was grossly disproportionate to his legitimate income as a public official and businessman,” the decision dated August 29, 2017 read.

That even with his business investments, respondent cannot satisfactorily explain his purchase in cash of the 664 square meters residential property, acquisition of new investments and increase in cash and cash equivalent, amounting to P8,983,082.52, it added.

“No businessman can generate a net income of almost one-half of his equity investments, as in respondent’s case where his net worth amounted to 45 percent of his declared stock equities and investments,” it said.

The Ombudsman said that Mabilog did not state in his SALN his wife’s work as a comptroller in Canada, which he claimed was earning “huge income” enough to contribute in the increase of his SALN.

The Ombudsman said Mabilog’s alleged business interests in Mega Pacific Food Services Inc., Iloilo One Esplanade Realty, Iloilo Happy Haus Donuts, and Global Jami Motors Corporation reveals a “conflict of interest” in his duties as a city mayor.

Mabilog’s business interests violate the Norms and Conduct of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, while his interest in the Iloilo One Esplanade Realty “showed he had used his position to give his business unwarranted advantage over other businesses,” it added.

Meanwhile, the case of grave misconduct relative to the appointment of Executive Assistant for Dengue Concerns Patrick Allan Sy, who is an incorporator in some of Mabilog’s business, and the Iloilo Esplanade Realty was dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence.

Also, the charge of dishonesty relative to the alleged loan of Mabilog in a bank in Canada was dismissed for lack of merit.

Journalist and former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada, who filed the complaint against Mabilog in June 2015, said he has mixed emotions about the decision handed down by the Ombudsman.

“First, I am happy because this decision is a vindication for me. The truth has finally demolished all the black propaganda thrown against me for several years now. This is a triumph for justice. No longer can anybody accuse me of falsehoods in the several graft cases I have filed against Mayor Mabilog,” he said.

“Second, I am also saddened because the penalty imposed is the harshest under the law. It didn’t have to end this way if only Mayor Mabilog listened to the criticism I and other members of media had leveled at him since he became City Mayor of Iloilo City. Mayor Mabilog is far from perfect as a public official, but I recognize that he also has the welfare of his constituents in mind, and he is loved by many. He has done a lot of service to the city despite his shortcomings,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier accused Mabilog of having connections to drug syndicates and tagged his city as “most shabulized.”

The city mayor left the country on August 31 after President Duterte repeatedly warned him to end his ties with drug personalities or risk being killed.

Mabilog and his wife and children went overseas citing concerns to their safety.

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Source: SunStar Philippines