Supreme Court allows disqualified mayor to take post

MARCOS, Ilocos Norte -- The disqualified mayor of this town may now temporarily take his seat without his rival clinging on to the top municipal post.

This, after the Supreme Court (SC) granted the plea of Arsenio Agustin for a halt order on the implementation of a Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling canceling his certificate of candidacy (COC) in the recent polls due to a residency issue.

In its July 16 session, the SC decided to issue a status quo ante order that effectively allowed Agustin to serve as mayor and ordered Salvador Pillos to vacate the post.

“Acting on the urgent motion to resolve prayer for injunctive relief dated July 3, 2013 filed by counsel for petitioner, the Court resolved to require the parties to observe the status quo prevailing before the issuance of the Comelec en banc resolution dated April 23, 2013,” read the minute resolution signed by SC clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal.

Agustin and Pillos had been serving as mayors in the same municipal hall since the elections, causing confusion among employees and their constituents.

Pillos was reportedly holding office at the second floor of the municipal building, and Agustin at the accounting department at the first floor.

The two were even attending the flag- raising ceremony but were not allowed to speak before the employees and other local elected officials.

Agustin was proclaimed winner in the mayoral contest after garnering 5,020 votes against Pillos’ 4,216, or a margin of 804 votes.

He took his oath last June 29 before Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, while Pillos took his the next day before a barangay chairman and had never left the town hall since then.

Pillos insisted that he won the mayoral race as Agustin’s COC was canceled, which the Comelec enforced in a writ of execution last June 18.

Agustin’s lawyer Eric Garvida earlier had threatened to file a complaint against Pillos for usurpation of function and using the facilities of the mayor’s office without authority.