CAPITAN FANS BREAK-IN KAUSWAGAN MUNICIPAL HALL; BOOKED BY POLICE FOR SEDITION, MALICIOUS MISCHIEF
KAUSWAGAN, Lanao del Norte
March 14, 2016
Patrol Cars of the Provincial Police Office of Lanao del Norte blocked the entrance of the Kauswagan Municipal Hall to prevent the exit of 37 Capitan supporters who broke the door to get entry early in the morning. (Photo contributed)
Thirty-seven impatient supporters of Supreme Court- declared mayoralty winner of the 2013 Election, Florante Capitan, broke into the main door and occupied the municipal building here early Monday.
The said supporters of Capitan were still holed up in the building when newsmen arrived towards noon.
Police blocked the main entrance with their service vehicles and held the said men inside until late in the afternoon when they were arrested, handcuffed and brought to different detention cells in the Police Stations of the adjoining municipalities.
They were charged of Sedition and Malicious mischief, according to the lawmen.
It was learned that the said Capitan supporters had grown impatient because despite reportedly of the final decision of the Supreme Court on the disqualification of sitting Mayor Rommel Arnado, Florante Capitan, the declared winner has not assumed office because the former would not step down.
It was also gathered that Arnado is not getting out because the Supreme Court has not issued a Writ of Execution.
It may be recalled that Arnado was disqualified from running in the 2010 Election because after executing an affidavit denouncing his American Citizenship and filing his certificate of candidacy, he left the country using his American passport and declaring before Immigration Officials that he was an American.
However, he was able to perform as Mayor since the disqualification case filed against him by his opponents was decided by the Supreme Court only when his first term was about to end.
In 2013, he again ran for Mayor and garnered the highest number of votes although a petition for his disqualification was filed by his rival Capitan.
Last year, he was again disqualified by the Supreme Court but he filed a Motion of Reconsideration.
Early this year the Supreme Court decided finally that he is disqualified from running in the past election.
Capitan moved to assume office, but Arnado is not willing to step down on the ground that the Supreme Court has not issued a Writ of Execution.
On Tuesday, Capitan posted bail for his supporters and they were released by the police.
Arnado remains to be the Mayor of this municipality up to this writing.
