After the long wait, the newly minted mayor of Sevilla finally assumed office the other day. Amid the furor of whether she can assume as new mayor of Sevilla, Mayor Ernisita Digal sent her opponent, ex-mayor Judith Dano, packing after holding office for barely a year. A stand off between two contesting parties ensued as the Department of Interior and Local Government was making a runaround in releasing the assumption papers resulting in having Sevilla dominated by two lady mayors. The recent visit of DILG Secretary Mar Roxas untangled the impasse saying that his office would abide whatever the Commission on Elections has decided.

In a recent resolution, the Comelec en banc, declared Digal as the winner of the Sevilla mayoralty showdown after the poll body found Dano as having failed to satisfy the residency requirement as bonafide resident of Sevilla. The winning mayor failed to comply the one year requirement to qualify to be voted upon when she ran for the post of Sevilla mayor. Efforts were made by the Dano camp to seek legal relief from the Supreme Court through the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) but to no avail.

In the ensuing battle to assume office on the part of Digal and for Dano holding on, the Comelec issued a writ of execution to pave the way for the former's assumption to office. But the Comelec's writ was not enough to settle the issue of the sitting mayor to vacate the position of Sevilla mayor. Not until the DILG issued a memorandum implementing the writ of execution of the Comelec en banc in SPA No. 13-083 (DC) entitled: Marie Karen Joy Digal y Bungabong vs Juliet Dano y Bucag did settle the tug-of-war in the Sevilla mayoralty contest paving the way for Mayor Digal to assume office.