Defiant Aurora mayor refuses to vacate town hall

DINALUNGAN, Aurora — Embattled Mayor Marilyn Marquez has vowed to hold on to her post until the lapse of her 60-day preventive suspension later this month.

Superintendent Teodoro Saclolo, provincial police director, said the feisty Marquez, in explaining her refusal to vacate the municipal hall, gave assurances that she was willing to face the consequences of her action, including a possible additional six-month suspension.

Marquez made the statement during a meeting here with Saclolo, lawyer Rolando Calabarzon and lawyer Ofelio Tactac, assistant regional director and legal officer, respectively of the Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) when they paid her a visit to inform her of the legal consequences of her refusal to vacate the town hall.

As of press time, a 60-man police contingent remains encamped at the municipal compound to prevent possible outbreak of violence between the camps of Marquez and supporters of acting mayor Harvey Tubera.

Marquez continues to discharge her functions, even signing checks in spite of the fact that this will not be recognized by the municipal government’s depository bank.

Saclolo said they have defused the tension between the two camps with the presence of policemen from the Regional Mobile Force (RMF), the Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) and the Dinalungan police.

"So far, the presence of the police has kept the peace," he said.

Saclolo said that the municipal employees could not do anything but follow the mayor out of fear that they would be punished. "They seemed to be intimidated and are afraid of reprisal from the mayor. After all, her suspension would lapse on Oct. 3," he said.

Marquez said the decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo to suspend her and Vice Mayor Virgie Callejo based on the administrative complaint filed by the Industries Development Corp. (IDC) was "very erroneous." — Manny Galvez