This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
‘Now, my feet are stronger than my fear. I have my voice now. I want to tell my story.,’ former mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog tells his supporters in Iloilo City
ILOILO, Philippines – Seven years was a long time for him to live in exile because the forces that chased him out were the very institutions meant to protect the public.
Former Iloilo mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, once forced to flee his city under the shadow of political hostility, made his long-awaited return on Friday morning, September 20. It was his 59th birthday.
Mabilog’s departure, nearly a decade ago, was not some minor detour but an escape, triggered by threats to his life and the safety of his family. It was August 29, 2017, when he left for a speaking engagement abroad – an event that would later evolve into an indefinite absence, leaving Iloilo’s leadership adrift.
Then-president Rodrigo Duterte had labeled him a “narco politician,” a claim never proven but made potent by the political climate of the time, and threatened to add him to the list of high-profile drug suspects killed by authorities.
Mabilog flew from Metro Manila to Iloilo aboard Philippine Airlines Flight 2139, which landed past 6:30 am. He traveled without his family who stayed abroad.
He was greeted by more than 100 supporters at the airport along with Iloilo City Representative Julienne Baronda.
“Salamat gid sa iya pagdumdim kag pagsuporta (Thank you for your concerns and support),” Mabilog told his well-wishers at the airport.
Over 100 people also waited for him at his Molo residence where preparations were made for his homecoming and birthday.
Mabilog said, “After the darkest time in my life for seven years, it is now time for me to become a human rights advocate for those who were victims of oppression like me. Now, my feet are stronger than my fear. I have my voice now. I want to tell my story.” – Rappler.com
