Tension grips Ilocos town with 2 mayors; gag order issued

MARCOS, Ilocos Sur – The camp of the proclaimed mayor of this town is set to file charges against the defeated mayor for his alleged refusal to vacate his post, which has resulted to the ongoing standoff in the municipal hall.

Arsenio Agustin, who was proclaimed the winning mayor of the town, said they are readying charges for usurpation of authority against Salvador Pillos for refusing to vacate the mayor’s office.

Pillos said he is ready to face the charges as he claimed he is the rightful mayor after the Commission on Elections nullified Agustin’s certificate of candidacy (COC) due to his dual citizenship.

Reports had it that Pillos continues to stay inside the mayor’s office since June 30 or after taking his oath, the same day Agustin was also sworn into office by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.

Both have been holding office since July 12 inside the town hall as the Comelec and the Department of Interior and Local Government have yet to issue an order.

Supt. Jeffrey Gorospe, spokesman for the provincial police office, said the situation in the town is still generally peaceful.

Earlier, the provincial police deployed additional personnel in Marcos town to prevent a possible clash among the supporters of the contending camps.

To ease tension, two claimants to the mayoral post of  were barred from speaking in Monday’s flag-raising ceremony at the municipal hall.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government provincial office reportedly issued the directive pending an order from the DILG central office and from the Commission on Elections as to who between Agustin and Pillos is the rightful mayor.

“The two mayors were allowed to attend the flag-raising ceremony… but were not allowed to speak in front of the municipal employees,” Gorospe said.

Pillos, then the incumbent, lost to Agustin by less than 1,000 votes in the last May polls. He however, insisted he is the legal mayor of the town after the poll body nullified the latter’s certificate of candidacy due to his dual citizenship.

Agustin argued he is the legitimate mayor after the municipal board of canvassers proclaimed him as the winning candidate in the recent polls.

Both took their oath on June 30 and have been holding their respective offices at the municipal hall.

Pillos has been staying at the mayor’s office since his first term ended on June 30.

Agustin, who was sworn into office by Ilocos Gov. Imee Marcos, said that his camp is now readying charges of usurpation of authority against Pillos.