Nueva Ecija town mayor gives way after court voids proclamation

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Jaen, Nueva Ecija Mayor Sylvia Austria stepped down from her post on Monday afternoon, a day after she vouched order in her hometown amid the tension between her and rival Antonio Esquivel’s camps for at least a week now.

"I am temporarily stepping down as town mayor to maintain peace and order in our hometown,"  she addressed her town mates in Filipino, as she promised to take all legal remedies to return to the municipal hall.

Officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Central Luzon and provincial offices arrived in Jaen town Monday afternoon to officially install Esquivel, who had been staying at the Treasurer's Office since last week after the Gapan Regional Trial Court favored his election protest against Austria.

Earlier,  Austria promised to "to continue performing (her) duty, authority and responsibility as (the) genuinely elected servant (of Jaen)," amid a tension-filled town hall where she remained in her office while Esquivel also held office at the Treasurer’s Office.

Police were deployed to keep tension between Austria's and Esquivel's supporters from escalating into violence.

The Gapan City RTC branch 87 on December 7 declared Austria's proclamation as mayor in 2019 null and void.  It also issued a certificate of finality and writ of execution on December 16.