Comelec tells Imus mayor to turn over post

SWAT members arrive outside the Municipal Hall grounds as the supporters of unseated Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi prevent the camp of Homer Saquilayan from taking over as he takes his oath as mayor of this town as declared by the Imus regional Trial Court on Wednesday.INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday ordered Imus mayor Emmanuel Maliksi to turn over his post to Homer Saquilayan following the Supreme Court’s (SC) dismissal of Maliksi’s petition.

The writ of execution issued by the Comelec en Banc was served Monday morning and ordered the provincial election supervisor along with the provincial local government officer to allow Saquilayan to assume the post.

“Emmanuel Maliksi [is ordered] to cease and desist from discharging the powers and functions of the Office of the Mayor, Municipality of Imus, Cavite, and to relinquish and vacate the same in favor of … Homer Saquilayan to cause the peaceful and smooth turn-over of office,” the writ of execution said.

The order cited the SC’s decision which said “Wherefore, we dismiss the petition [of Maliksi and] we affirm the resolution … by the Commission on Elections En Banc … declaring Homer Saquilayan as the duly-elected municipal mayor of Imus, Cavite.”

The SC’s decision was “immediately executory considering that the remainder of Saquilayan’s term of office is only less than five months.”