Tension grips Calinog as two 'mayors' claim post
Tension has gripped the town of Calinog in Iloilo, 32 km north of Iloilo City, after the incumbent mayor has refused to give up his position despite an order of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) recognizing the mayor's defeated political opponent as the winner in the 2007 elections.
Salvador Divinagracia is still holding office at the municipal building despite a certification of the Department of Interior and Local Government recognizing Alex Centena as the town mayor.
Centena yesterday started performing functions of the mayor's office at the water district building around 100 meters from the municipal hall.
“How can I follow and recognize a technically flawed order? Why are they rushing things?" Divinagracia said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
Divinagracia is questioning the validity of a Comelec order that recognized Centena as the winner in the vice mayoralty race in 2007.
Divinagracia narrowly defeated Centena in the elections but the result was questioned by Centena.
In March 2008, Divinagracia took over as mayor after the death of then Mayor Teodoro Lao.
But on January 26, 2009, the Comelec en banc ruled that Centena won by 11 votes over Divinagracia.
The Comelec served the writ of execution last Friday and installed Centena as mayor based on the rules of succession.
On Monday, the DILG issued a certification recognizing Centena as the town mayor.
But Divinagracia said the Comelec order was "flawed" because it covered only the vice mayoral position which he has already vacated when he became mayor.
He said he will only step down if the Comelec and DILG issues a "legitimate" order.
Centena said he will not force his way and occupy the mayor's office at the municipal building but urged Divinagracia to step down.
“The Comelec and DILG have already ruled and recognized me as the mayor. He has no authority left and has no reason to stay there,” Centena said in a separate telephone interview.
He said Divinagracia should “follow the law and orders of the government agencies.”
Centena said he will leave it to the appropriate agencies to resolve the impasse.
The town's police force have been reinforced by the Iloilo Provincial Police Office to prevent the outbreak of violence.
Hundreds of supporters of Divinagracia have been massing up at the entrance of the municipal building since last week.