Isabela town has 2 mayors

RAMON, Isabela — Amid the floods wreaking havoc in thousands of hectares of farmlands in the province, confusion now reigns in the Ramon municipal hall as to who is the real mayor.

This, after Vice Mayor Mercy Vizcarra was installed as mayor yesterday by lawyer Michael Valdez, provincial election supervisor, enforcing the Dec. 1 writ of execution of the Aug. 30, 2004 resolution of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc nullifying the proclamation of Mayor Reymund Espidol.

Vizcarra is the wife of the late mayor Angelino Vizcarra, who lorded over Ramon politics for two decades.

Judge Anastacio Anghad of the Regional Trial Court Branch 36 based in nearby Santiago City swore Vizcarra into office.  

However, Espidol, who defeated re-electionist mayor Renato Vizcarra by a huge margin in last year’s polls, questioned Vizcarra’s takeover, saying it was premature and without legal basis. 

Despite Espidol’s winning the mayoralty race, the Comelec annulled his proclamation due to technicalities committed by election officer Agripino de Guzman, who chaired the municipal board of canvassers.

The Supreme Court en banc affirmed the Comelec ruling in a decision last Oct. 11.

To enforce the Supreme Court decision, the Comelec en banc issued the writ of execution last Dec. 1, directing Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes to implement it.

The Comelec also directed the provincial election supervisor to constitute a new municipal board of canvassers to re-canvass the election returns to determine the true winner in the 2004 mayoralty race.

Espidol said the Department of the Interior and Local Government is the proper office that should enforce the order since it has direct supervision over local governments.

"Until now, I have not received any directive from Secretary Angelo Reyes to turn over my post to the vice mayor," he said, adding that he will stay put since he was "legitimately elected by the people of Ramon."

Raul Melegrito, municipal local government operations officer, confirmed that his office has yet to receive a directive from Reyes to enforce the Comelec’s writ of execution.

Espidol said the writ must be enforced through the proper protocol and that Vizcarra’s assumption into office has no legal effect since he still has a pending motion with the Comelec to stay the writ of execution.

"I will continue performing my duty as this town’s chief executive," he said.

"Behind me are my constituents, who have given me the mandate to continue serving them despite this calculated political disturbance and maneuverings," he said. 

While Vizcarra was taking her oath of office in the session hall of the Sangguniang Bayan, hundreds of Espidol’s supporters gathered outside the municipal building.

At least 50 policemen, led by Chief Inspector Danilo Asirit, this town’s police chief, were deployed as the rival groups assembled.

Meanwhile, at least 10 department heads and 20 municipal employees have expressed their intention to go on leave.