Monday, March 24, 2008 Pecson to Cunanan: Leave Magalang mayoral post
NEWLY installed Magalang Mayor Romulo Pecson on Sunday asked court-dethroned local chief executive Lyndon Cunanan to formally vacate the mayor's office.
Pecson claimed that the office is intended for him and that he should occupy it to start transacting business and delivering basic services to his constituents.
"I am appealing to Mr. Cunanan that he should leave the mayor's office so that we can start providing services to the people of Magalang," he said.
On Wednesday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has affirmed the Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision and declared Pecson as the real winner in the May 2007 mayoralty elections in the town.
Pecson said Cunanan failed to comply with an agreement to vacate the office as agreed upon.
"Considering that no injunction or order has been issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) suspending the effectivity of the writ of execution issued by the RTC Branch 56 in EPE Case No. (07) 0751 Re: Romulo F. Pecson versus Lyndon A. Cunanan, this office pursuant to the writ hereby recognizes Romulo Pecson as the Mayor of the Municipality of Magalang, Pampanga," DILG Regional Director Josefina Castilla-Go stated in her memorandum last Wednesday.
Pecson and Cunanan earlier agreed to install Municipal Treasurer Fausto Sengson Jr. as the town's caretaker from Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday.
The DILG regional office and the Pampanga Provincial Police Office facilitated the "gentlemen's agreement" between the rival politicians.
Under the agreement, Cunanan will vacate the mayor's office if he fails to secure an injunction from the Comelec or Supreme Court (SC) by noon of Holy Wednesday.
Pecson, on the other hand, agreed to leave the town hall premises if Cunanan gets an injunction from the Comelec.
Although the two did not sit down together to talk about the agreement, Go and Police Provincial Director Keith Singian were able to convince them to subject themselves to it.
Cunanan, for his part, said it was agreed upon that he would stay in the mayor's office until April 1, citing the order he received from the Comelec last Tuesday, which requires him and Pecson to appear before the election body's hearing on April 1.
"The Comelec en banc resolved to require private respondent to file his Comment/Opposition thereto within three days from receipt thereof. Let the hearing hereof be set on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 10 a.m. at the Comelec Session Hall, 8th Floor, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila," the order stated.
As of Sunday afternoon, Cunanan disclosed that he was out of the mayor's office. But he said he would return on Monday to the office, which he padlocked. (RGN/MHD)
