JAEN, Nueva Ecija鈥擳he Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reinstated Mayor Sylvia Austria who stepped down last month over an electoral protest filed by her rival in a local court.
In an order dated Jan. 12, the Comelec鈥檚 second division directed a 60-day status quo and also advised sitting Mayor Antonio Prospero Esquivel 鈥渢o peacefully turn over the subject post鈥� to Austria.
Regional Trial Court Branch 87 Judge Angelo Perez and all persons under his direct supervision were ordered 鈥渢o cease and desist from enforcing or continuing to enforce and implement鈥� previous orders and the writ of execution that paved the way for Esquivel to assume the position.
On Dec. 22, 2020, Austria stepped down from her post following an order from the court and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to vacate her office.
This after the RTC declared Austria鈥檚 2019 proclamation null and void following Esquivel鈥檚 election protest.
In its Dec. 7, 2020 ruling, the court said that based on a manual recount, Esquivel won the elections with 18,737 votes against Austria鈥檚 more than 14,000 votes.
But in 2019, the municipal board of canvassers declared Austria the winner after she garnered 20,815 votes while Esquivel obtained 18,461.
In a video message on Wednesday (Jan. 13), Austria thanked her supporters and the Comelec for 鈥渦pholding the rule of law.鈥�
Esquivel has yet to comment but gave hints that his camp might file a motion for reconsideration of the Comelec order.