ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Embattled Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is considering filing a leave of absence from work, his spokesman said yesterday.
Lawyer Mark Piad said Mabilog is affected by President Duterte’s statements that the mayor is protecting drug lords and Iloilo is “a bedrock of illegal drugs” and “most shabulized.”
However, Piad said there is nothing final yet about Mabilog’s plan.
Mabilog has yet to surface since Aug. 30 when the President announced the appointment of Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido as officer-in-charge of the Iloilo City police. The appointment has since been cancelled.
Piad said Mabilog flew to Japan on Aug. 30 to attend a conference on disaster management. The conference ended on Sept. 4.
From Japan, Piad said Mabilog went to Malaysia for the Urban Environment Accords Summit from Sept. 7 to 9. Piad said Mabilog was among the resource speakers and discussed the Iloilo River protection program.
“Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog did not flee. He’s on official travel in the performance of his functions,” Piad said.
In his last conversation with Mabilog, Piad said the mayor told him that he would return to work this week.
Mabilog’s wife had earlier said she left the country with their two children, citing “real threats” to their security.