Mayor Sylvia Austria’s supporters troop to town hall but gates are closed. Police on guard to keep the peace. Photo by Armand M. Galang
JAEN, Nueva Ecija – Five resolutions upholding the legitimacy of Mayor Sylvia Austria were successively passed by the town council in a session held at the barangay hall of San Josef here Monday.
Voting 8-2, the sangguniang bayan passed Resolution No. 015-s-2021, “respecting the status quo ante order (SQAO) of the Commission on Elections upholding the rule of law and recognizing the assumption of office by the legitimate mayor of Jaen, Nueva Ecija, Hon. Mayor Sylvia Austria.”
The council said the SQAO has an immediate effect of reinstating Austria as the legitimate mayor of this municipality, referring to that issued by the Comelec 2nd Division, signed by Presiding Commissioner Socorro Inting, on Jan. 12, 2021. The SQAO directed sitting Mayor Antonio Prospero Esquivel to “peacefully turn over the subject post (mayorship)” to Austria.
Esquivel formally assumed the mayorship on Dec. 22, 2020 by virtue of a decision handed down by Regional Trial Branch 87 Judge Angelo Perez on his election protest.
Austria was proclaimed winner by the municipal board of canvassers in the May 2019 elections.
The council also approved resolutions enjoining municipal employees and residents to honor Austria’s legitimacy, urging the Land Bank of the Philippines as town’s depositary bank to honor only Austria’s signature in all transactions and authorizing Austria to transfer account from LBP to the Development Bank of the Philippines.
Councilor Arsenia Javate, one of the dissenting members and known ally of Esquivel in the council, said she can only vote for the resolutions if supported by documents from the DILG.
Upon approval of the resolutions, flocks of Austria’s supporters went to the town hall but the gates were closed.
Dominic Garin, one of Austria’s lawyers, also went to the hall to serve the resolutions to department heads. He also was not able to enter as of press time.
Some men are seen standing on the walkway inside the municipal compound.
Policemen from the Nueva Ecija police office were deployed to keep peace and order.
