Nueva Ecija town residents confused over 2 mayors
January 08, 2004
By Anselmo Roque
Inquirer News Service
Residents of San Isidro are both confused and amused as their town's two mayors report for work, one at the municipal hall and the other just outside the building.
Incumbent Mayor Sonia Lorenzo has barricaded herself inside the building while Nestor Magno, who was declared last Saturday as the elected mayor, has set up his office near the padlocked main gate of the municipal hall compound.
Both Lorenzo and Magno, however, are credited by their townmates for maintaining civility and for calming their respective supporters.
Both are awaiting orders from the Supreme Court to resolve the conflict.
Chief Inspector Bayani Fernando Aquino, San Isidro police, said in a radio interview that his men had been reinforced by policemen from two mobile groups of the Nueva Ecija police command to avert any violence.
He said, however, that the peace and order situation in the town is under control.
Lorenzo, contacted by phone from her office at 7 a.m. on Thursday, said she would continue to discharge her duties because she would not like to be charged with abandonment of post.
She said that her proclamation as elected mayor of San Isidro has not yet been annulled.
She said she would abide with the decision of the Supreme Court on her motion for reconsideration. She claimed the Commission on Elections had acted with hastiness in proclaiming Magno last week.
The canvassing of votes for Magno was stopped in 2001 when the Comelec disqualified him. The Supreme Court, however, ruled that Magno was qualified to run for mayor. This paved the way for the Comelec to order the canvassing of the election returns.
In a special canvassing last Saturday, Magno won by 3,011 votes over Lorenzo.
On Monday, however, Lorenzo beat Magno in reporting for work at the municipal hall. Magno decided to hold office outside the hall.
"Confusing and amusing," said a San Isidro resident, referring to the situation in his town. "This is not good for our town which is known in history as the place where the First Cry of Nueva Ecija took place during the Spanish occupation." :)