A court’s temporary restraining order (TRO) has stopped the holding of the second election of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Bohol on Friday, putting the contentious LMP presidency post in deadlock and fueling speculations that a possible long-running legal battle could go up to the Supreme Court. “This TRO is very unfortunate because it will deprive Bohol of representation in the national LMP directorate,” reacted Inabanga Mayor Roygie Jumamoy after the TRO was issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 52 Judge Marivic Trabajo Daray a day before the holding of the scheduled second LMP elections on Friday at the Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City. Jumamoy said that there would be an election in the national LMP on Oct. 2, but following the issuance of the TRO, Bohol would no longer have a representation in the national directorate, and “it would be a loss for Bohol if our province has no representation in the national directorate.”

“Just the same, we will abide with the law. The rule of law is supreme. We humbly respect the decision of the court in issuing the TRO,” the lady mayor said. Jumamoy clarified that the holding of the second LMP election was a decision of the LMP national office, not a decision of the mayors of Bohol. She expressed sadness that the election on Friday was not pushed through. “The second election could have settled all the issues surrounding the LMP,” she said, “and then we could have moved on.” The TRO would expire in 72 hours, or tomorrow. Both parties are expected to present their oral arguments on Monday whether the TRO should be extended for another 20 days. Jumamoy said she felt sad that Bien-Unido Mayor Mayor Rey Niño Boniel had resorted to a court action in resolving the matter, which could hamper the development of Bohol if the LMP-Bohol Chapter remains divided. “All I wish and hope for is for all Bohol mayors, and the Boholanos in general, would be united in making Bohol a more progressive province in the country,” Jumamoy said over a phone interview yesterday.

FIRST ELECTION

Earlier, the LMP Manila nullified the Aug. 19 election of the LMP-Bohol Chapter, saying that presiding officer was not authorized to hold such elections. In the first election, Jumamoy and Boniel each received 22 votes, forcing a stalemate in the LMP presidency. However, former Trinidad Mayor Roberto Cajes, former president of LMP-Bohol, protested the holding of the Aug. 19 LMP election, saying that he did not authorize Albur Mayor Efren Tungol to hold and preside such election. In a resolution dated Sept. 7, 2013, the LMP national through Secretary General Joel Jaime Payumo ruled that the first election was “null and void” and it directed the mayors in Bohol to re-convene on Sept. 27 to elect a new set of LMP officers in the province. The resolution said that should there be another tie, the matter should be resolved through a toss-coin or draw lots, “as may be agreed upon by the concerned parties.”

BONIEL MAINTAINS STAND

Mayor Boniel, for his part, said that he is amenable to the toss-coin procedure to resolve the tie, but he added that he is not agreeable to the decision to hold a second LMP election. Boniel told members of the Bohol media who witnessed the aborted second LMP election that he would always uphold the validity of the first election, arguing that all the guidelines of the LMP had been followed in the holding of the Aug. 19 election. “I am fighting for the mayors who voted for me. This is about standing for principles,” Boniel told members of the press. He noted that the LMP-National’s declaring of the first election as null and void “had further complicated the issue.” “Let the court decide this issue,” Boniel said. “We trust the judgment of the court. Whatever is the decision of the court, I am certain that it is best for the interest of all Boholanos,” the mayor of Bien-Unido said.