Former Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who left the country after being tagged as a narco-politician by former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been appointed undersecretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Malacañang confirmed on Wednesday, May 13.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Mabilog took his oath of office that morning before him and Executive Secretary Ralph Recto following his appointment by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Mabilog’s appointment comes nearly a decade after the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his dismissal in 2017.
At the time, he was found guilty of serious dishonesty and grave misconduct over alleged unexplained wealth.
The ruling also imposed perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
That penalty was later overturned in January 2025 when Mabilog was granted executive clemency, allowing him to return to government service.
During his administration, the former President branded Mabilog as a narco-politician and a protector of a major drug syndicate.
Mabilog and his family sought asylum in the United States in 2017 when Duterte repeatedly threatened to have him killed in public speeches.
He returned to the country in September 2025. (Betheena Unite)
