Tension in Iloilo town ends as mayor steps down

MANILA, Philippines - The tension that gripped an Iloilo town over a mayoralty row ended late Wednesday after the incumbent mayor finally heeded an order to step down. Radio dzBB's Iloilo affiliate reported early Thursday that Calinog Mayor Salvador Divinagracia stepped down in favor of his political opponent Alex Centena at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. “I am stepping down from office, setting aside my own personal pride and interest, for the greater interest and the welfare of our people," Divinagracia said, after the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared Centena as the winner in the mayoralty race. Divinagracia agreed to step down following negotiations with Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. and officials of the province, but lamented what he called the death of justice in the town. After delivering his statement, Divinagracia proceeded to his residence behind the municipal hall. For his part, Tupas lauded Divinagracia for his gesture, even as the town council assured Centena of its support. Divinagracia earlier defied an order of the Comelec proclaiming Centena as the winner in the 2007 elections. Before stepping down, he had continued to hold office at the municipal building, saying the order for him to step down was “technically flawed." “How can I follow and recognize a technically flawed order? Why are they rushing things?" Divinagracia had said in an interview with online news site The News Today. Earlier, the Iloilo Provincial Police Force beefed up the town’s police force to prevent the outbreak of violence. Hundreds of supporters of Divinagracia have been massing up at the entrance of the municipal building since last week. Before stepping down, Divinagracia also defied a certification of the DILG recognizing Centena as the town mayor. For his part, Centena started discharging his functions as mayor at the water district building around 100 meters from the municipal hall. Divinagracia and Centena were rivals in the vice mayoralty race in 2007. Divinagracia narrowly won but the Centena questioned the result. In March 2008, Divinagracia took over as mayor after the death of then Mayor Teodoro Lao. Last January 26, the Comelec sitting as full bench ruled that Centena won by 11 votes over Divinagracia. The Comelec served the writ of execution last Friday and installed Centena as mayor based on the rules of succession. On Monday, the DILG issued a certification recognizing Centena as the town mayor. But Divinagracia said the Comelec order was “flawed" because it covered only the vice mayoral position, which he has already vacated when he became mayor. - GMANews.TV