MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has granted executive clemency to former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who had vehemently denied allegations of ties to the drug trade during the previous Duterte administration, the Palace confirmed Monday.
Mabilog, who faced charges for graft before the Sandiganbayan Third Division and violations of the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” at the Lapu-Lapu City Regional Trial Court in Cebu, had been embroiled in legal battles for years.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed that Marcos had granted the former mayor a presidential pardon, clearing the way for his return to public life. “Yes, that’s true,” Bersamin said when asked about the matter.
The decision to grant clemency was grounded in Mabilog’s “long-standing commitment to good governance,” alongside the recognition and awards Iloilo City received under his leadership. The executive clemency effectively removes the penalties associated with Mabilog’s administrative case, Bersamin clarified.
Moreover, the executive clemency restores Mabilog’s eligibility to run for public office, providing him the opportunity to return to the political scene if he chooses.
In 2017, Mabilog and his family left the country after then-President Rodrigo Duterte accused him of being involved in the illegal drug trade—a claim Mabilog consistently denied. After a seven-year self-imposed exile in the United States, Mabilog returned to the Philippines in September 2024, marking the end of his time abroad.
