By Robbie Pangilinan

Vancouver, Canada - Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog is seeking asylum in Canada after his dismissal order has been served by the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman found him guilty of serious dishonesty after he failed to explain his questionable wealth worth P8.9 million from 2012 to 2013. President Rodrigo Duterte has also tagged the mayor to illegal drugs, an allegation Mabilog vehemently denied.

This reporter had coffee with a kababayan of the mayor, who he said lost a lot of weight and is somewhat unrecognizable with his present appearance.

“He fears for his life. He is here because he knows he can seek asylum here. He and his family are safer here than in the Philippines,” said the kababayan, who is residing in this country.

Individuals can claim asylum at a port of entry in Canada, from a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) inland office or an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) inland office where officials will determine if the individual is eligible to make an asylum claim.

If the claim is eligible, it will be referred to the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for a hearing. In making its decisions, the IRB considers whether the claimant meets the United Nations (UN) definition of a Convention refugee, which has been adopted into Canadian law, or is a person in need of protection. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, every person who wants to enter Canada must appear for an examination at a port of entry in order for government officials to determine whether that person has a right to enter Canada, or if the individual may become authorized to enter and remain in Canada.

Mabilog left the country August 30 for an official trip to Japan and Malaysia, and filed a sick leave to seek medical treatment abroad in September, extending his leave to October. As he was not around when the dismissal order was served by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional director Attorney Anthony Loida, the dismissal order was posted outside Mabilog’s office.

The Ombudsman also meted the accessory penalties of cancellation of civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification from holding office.

Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III had taken his oath as the new city mayor, while City Councilor Jeffrey Gansol takes Espinosa’s position.