Mabilog in hot water for disadvantageous deal with DoubleDragon

Iloilo City- Former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog is in hot water for entering into a disadvantageous deal with DoubleDragon involving the 1.3-hectare land owned by the local government.

Mabilog signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) in 2012 with Double Dragon Properties Corporation (DDPC) for the Iloilo-Guimaras Ferry Terminal at Parola Wharf. The former Mayor came under fire after the city government lost millions of pesos in potential revenue from the deal.

Under the agreement, the city government only earns one percent of the gross terminal income, or around ₱200,868 per year for 25 years, which is greatly unfavorable since the local government owns the land where the terminal is situated. Furthermore, the land’s value has increased from ₱51.65 million in 2012 to ₱183.35 million in 2024, while the commercial building constructed within the terminal is now valued at ₱105.66 million.

Mabilog recently returned to the country following a seven-year stay abroad after he was linked by then-President Rodrigo Duterte to the illegal drug trade and to the slain drug lord Melvin “Dragon” Odicta. In 2017,

Mabilog was ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman after finding him guilty of serious dishonesty for his failure to explain his alleged questionable wealth worth P8.9 million from 2012 to 2013.

While he received executive clemency on the administrative penalties of the said case, Mabilog is still facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan over the awarding of a government contract to a towing services firm where he has an interest in.