Former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has expressed his readiness to testify before the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs. Mabilog, who was previously accused by then-President Rodrigo Duterte of protecting drug dealers, clarified that he is prepared to speak the truth in any forum.
“I am very much willing to fly anywhere, The Hague or whatever venue in the Philippines, because all I have to do is tell the truth,” Mabilog said in a radio interview on Friday, September 20.
Mabilog, who has lived in exile in the United States since 2017 after being granted political asylum, maintained his innocence. He emphasized that he had never been involved in illegal drugs, stating, “I am 100 percent confident I have never been involved in illegal drugs, never been a drug protector and will never be.”
Mabilog’s name was included in Duterte’s infamous narcolist in 2017, though Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo admitted that his name was added later, not initially included in the first version of the list.
Despite his inclusion, Mabilog stressed that he has not faced any charges related to illegal drugs and called for a review of the narcolist. He urged Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos to convene an adjudication committee to validate the list and delist those who were unfairly tagged.
Mabilog returned to the Philippines on September 10, after years in exile, expressing his desire to clear his name and share his story. “My feet are stronger than my fear. My faith is stronger than my fear,” he said, explaining his decision to come back despite safety concerns.