Former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog on Monday recollected years of being away from the Philippines as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. granted him executive clemency on administrative penalties.

“My seven years of exile taught me very beautiful lessons, but foremost among them is this: To build and rebuild the community, we need love and integrity. My family is beyond happy,” Mabilog said in a statement.

Mabilog thanked Marcos for lifting the sanctions against him, including dismissal from government service with accessory penalties and a bar on reemployment.

“I am personally grateful to God and President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. for granting me this executive clemency. This serves not just as a vindication for the wrongful and deceitful cases filed against me but as the triumph of justice in this country,” he said.

Mabilog praised Marcos’ leadership for its commitment to fairness and justice.

“This administration upholds justice, giving people like me, who are unjustly accused, the confidence to hope for vindication,” he said.

The clemency was confirmed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in a Viber message to reporters on Monday.

“In view of former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog’s long-standing commitment to good governance, coupled with awards and recognition received by Iloilo City under his leadership, the President granted Mabilog’s petition for executive clemency in connection with his administrative case, thereby removing the penalties or disabilities resulting from such a case,” Bersamin said.

In its 13-page decision dated 29 August 2017, the Ombudsman imposed on Mabilog accessory penalties, including the cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding office.

The order stemmed from a complaint filed in 2013 by Manuel Mejorada, the former provincial administrator of Iloilo, accusing Mabilog of dishonesty and grave misconduct related to the awarding of a government contract to a towing services firm in which Mabilog and former Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava II allegedly had a vested interest.

Dismissed

On 23 October 2017, the Ombudsman ordered Mabilog’s dismissal for violating Section 3(h) of Republic Act 3019, as implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Section 3(h) of RA 3019 prohibits public officers from having a financial interest in a business, contract, or transaction in which they participate in their official capacity.

The sanctions included dismissal from government service with accessory penalties and a bar on reemployment.

Mabilog was also named by former president Rodrigo Duterte in his controversial list of “narco-politicians” during the height of the previous administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

The former mayor has consistently denied involvement in illegal drug operations. With the issuance of executive clemency on administrative penalties, Bersamin said Mabilog can now be reemployed in government service and run for public office.