New governor sworn in despite legitimacy issue

NEW GOV Kathy Jyll Mayaen-Luis, accompanied by her relatives, takes her oath as elected governor of Mountain Province in Bontoc town. KIMBERLIE QUITASOL/ INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

BONTOC, Mountain Province—Kathy Jyll Mayaen took her oath of office as governor on Tuesday, amid division among government officials here regarding the legitimacy of her proclamation.

Mayaen substituted for her late father, Gov. Leonard Mayaen, an independent and unopposed candidate who died on March 31. She was proclaimed winner of the May 9 elections by the provincial board of canvassers despite a contrary view from Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Andres Bautista.

According to Bautista, election laws do not entitle an independent candidate to a substitute in the event he or she withdraws or dies before the polls.

The late governor’s death left the province with no candidate for governor, but his name remained on the ballot and he won with 60,664 votes which the board of canvassers counted in favor of her daughter.

Reelected Vice Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr., who became the acting governor when the elder Mayaen died, did not attend the ceremony. In an earlier interview, he said he decided to steer clear of the event “because I believe I would remain governor even after June 30.”

“Because of a vacancy [in the gubernatorial post], I became the rightful governor, following the rules of succession in Section 44 of Republic Act No. 7160 (the Local Government Code),” he said.

Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey administered the oath to Mayaen, who said she would seek a recognition of her oathtaking from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

But Lacwasan said he instructed provincial government officials about his decision to remain in office until the Comelec resolved a petition challenging Mayaen’s election win.

On June 22, the Comelec sitting en banc heard the May 18 petition of a voter, Thom Tawagen, who urged the poll body to stop Mayaen from assuming office on July 1.

Tawagen said Mayaen’s proclamation on May 10 was marred by anomalies and a supposed conspiracy to defy the Comelec decision to defer the election of the replacement of her late father. Kimberlie Quitasol and Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon