Controversial Cortes Mayor Jasmine Balistoy is back in town to reclaim a “lost seat” already ceded to her vice mayor by force of law. Fresh from a stint in the United States, the lady mayor took back the mayoralty seat from V-Mayor Danilo Montero who was installed Thursday by a team of the provincial Department of Interior and Local Government. Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II facilitated the takeover after it was noted that Balistoy was nowhere to be found since she left for the US. Just as Montero was warming his seat in an acting capacity when Balistoy emerged out of nowhere to reclaim her position. Back to work last Thursday, Balistoy cut short the takeover by the vice mayor during her brief absence. The assumption of the vice mayor as acting mayor was earlier expected to extend longer due to a reported Ombudsman order recommending the mayor’s preventive suspension. Mayor Balistoy, however, said yesterday, however, that if she was suspended, she could have not possibly assumed office immediately after her return from the US. The Cortes mayor said she has not received such Ombudsman recommendation and if there is such order for her suspension Governor Edgar Chatto would have not given her the authority to travel abroad on the following dates, Feb. 14 to 28, 2012.

There was also no resistance when she returned to office from Vice Mayor Montero himself if indeed he had officially assumed as mayor due to the alleged suspension, Mayor Balistoy added. The preventive suspension, which as of last report was only still a recommendation, was an offshoot of a graft complaint filed in the Ombudsman against the mayor by Vice Mayor Montero and five other Sangguniang Bayan members, Lyn Iven Lim, Celerico Jubac Jr.; Soledad Ligan; Martian Iyoy and Rolando dela Torre, allegedly for falsified travel expenses reimbursements. The mayor arrived Wednesday afternoon Feb 22 after a five-day official trip to the United States where she was an invited guest speaker and induction officer of the Philippine Medical Society Auxiliary in Jacksonville, Florida. She immediately reported to work in her office and signed papers and also went to elementary schools for distribution of free school bags. Mayor Balistoy lamented on the confusion created by disinformation spread by her political detractors and those pushing for their own personal interests.

CONFUSION

“Gipahimuslan jod nilag maayo ang akong pagkawala sa office aron lang mahimo nila ang gusto nila himoon (they exploited on my absence so they can do what they wanted to do),” Mayor Balistoy said. Last Monday, Vice Mayor Montero revealed in various interviews over the local radio stations that the Cortes mayor had left the country without leaving neither any word nor a designation authority to him to assume as acting mayor in her absence. The vice mayor added that it had been confirmed that the mayor had left the country on Feb 16 and that by operation of law he had to assume the office of the mayor. It was later learned that Mayor Balistoy had designated Municipal Engineer Helen Calatrava as acting mayor for three days and pursuant to the local government code, the vice mayor can only assume as the acting mayor on the fourth day if she (mayor) fails to return. Vice mayor Montero was able to assume office on Feb 21, Tuesday and tried to enter the office of the mayor on the second floor of the municipal hall. The attempt created some tension among municipal officials when Montero reportedly ordered to forcibly open the door when employees failed to produce the key to the mayor’s office.

“I really was sad to know about the incident. The vice mayor, in his eagerness to become mayor, failed to understand that his assumption as acting vice mayor does not include authority to trespass the office of the mayor”. “I could not understand why vice mayor Montero wanted to enter my office when he can function as acting mayor in his own office. His actions revealed other motives aside from functioning as acting mayor in my absence,” Mayor Balistoy said. Municipal employees said this was the second time that Montero allegedly wanted to assume office as acting mayor. The first was during the first official visit of President Noynoy Aquino here, August last year. The attempt to assume to office as acting mayor was also based on a report that allegedly mayor Balistoy had flown to London and was apprehended at the airport due to some problems. The report was later verified to be a false information.