3 claim being mayor of Mountain Province town

 Comelec urged: Settle impasse 

By Vince Jacob Visaya

PARACELIS, Mountain Province – Three political leaders are now at odds as they claimed to be the mayor of this remote town.
    Following this, political leaders of this second class municipality urged the Commission on Elections to settle legal issues and decide the rightful mayor as constituents were confused on who to approach regarding their problems.
    Avelino Amangyen topped the May 9 elections after receiving 9,220 votes despite the Comelec order canceling his certificate of candidacy on April 19, 2022 — less than a month before the elections.
    He did not disclose a previous conviction for violation of the Forestry Code, which carried the penalty of perpetual disqualification to hold public office.
    However, Amangyen filed a motion for reconsideration but the Comelec en banc failed to resolve his disqualification case before the scheduled assumption of office for local officials on June 30.
    Former mayor Marcos Ayangwa, whose term had lapsed on June 30, placed second in the polls with 5,185 votes.
    He said he should have been declared the winner because Amangyen was disqualified.
    Amor Liban was third with 1,172 votes.
    "I am pleading before the Comelec en banc to resolve the urgent motion on the legally elected and legitimate mayor to lessen the tension and confusion. Let us put a rest on this matter," Ayangwa said.
    However, the Dept. of the Interior and Local Government ordered elected Vice Mayor Djarma Rafael to take over as the town's mayor in an acting capacity while the election office has yet to resolve the legal impasse.
Rafael announced that she will take over soonest.
    DILG Regional Director Araceli San Jose on June 28 said that due to the absence of a Comelec en banc resolution on Amangyen's motion for reconsideration on June 30 noon, "there shall exist a temporary vacancy in the position of mayor."
    "In that case, pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991, the Vice Mayor shall then assume as the mayor in an acting capacity," she said, adding the vice mayor's assumption would hinge on the outcome of Comelec's resolution.
    Ayangwa, through a letter to the DILG, also asked that an "immediate written directive, advisory, order or any other proper action denying, dismissing, or repudiating, or holding in abeyance the implementation" of the order installing Rafael as the acting mayor.
    His lawyers said Ayangwa was the legitimate winner.
    Amangyen's votes were declared stray due to his disqualification for material misrepresentation and due to conviction for illegal logging.
    The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeals and subsequently by the Supreme Court in 2018, San Jose said.
    Paracelis local government operations officer Johnny Maymaya Jr. and the assigned town election officer were out of their offices last week.
    They were reported having separate seminars and meetings in Baguio City.
    Rafael, who publicly declared before the elected councilors that she will take over July 6, was out of her office when this writer tried to seek her comment.
    Her secretary said she was indisposed.
    She later declined to comment when asked via the telephone.
    Amangyen's designated town administrator, Edward Sullay, who occupied a seat outside the padlocked door of the mayor's office, said they would abide by the outcome of the Comelec resolution once it is announced.
    Amangyen, who has a warrant, sent a copy of his oath of office administered in Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet to the Paracelis Human Resource Management Office on June 30.