Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron said that he can still keep the mayoralty post until 2028 considering that his previous three terms were interrupted by a recall proceeding in 2013 and his dismissal as city mayor by the Ombudsman from February until June 2017.
Speaking before city officials, government employees, barangay officials, representatives of the different agencies, and civil society organizations during his State of City Address (SOCA) on September 17, 2019 at the City Coliseum, Mayor Bayron hinted the possibility that he can still seek for public office since he is currently in his first term as City Mayor.
“Mula noong 2016-2019 ay nagkaroon ng involuntarily interruption kaya itong 2019 hanggang 2022, ay hindi ko pa ito last term. Kundi, first term pa lang. At pwede pa akong mag-Mayor hanggang 2028,” Mayor Bayron said.
The recall proceeding was made sometime in 2013 when Mayor Bayron defeated his erstwhile partymate and running mate, former Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn, who was a long-time local chief executive.
“Hindi pa nga tayo nagsimula manungkulan ay nag-deklara na ang ating katunggali na tayo ay ipa-recall. Natuloy ang recall election. At sa tulong ng mga mamamayan ng Puerto Princesa ay tinalo natin ang ating katunggali,” Mayor Bayron said.
The second interruption was when he was dismissed by the Ombudsman in 2017, and the then-Vice Mayor Luis Marcaida III assumed the mayoralty position due to the vacancy in the Office of the City Mayor.
“Noong Feb 2017 ay na-dismiss tayo ng Ombudsman. Ito ay inimplement ng DILG. Natanggal tayo ng apat na buwan. Na reinstate tayo noong June 22, 2017,” he explained.
Mayor Bayron said that this is based on a decision by the Supreme Court which he said is similarly situated to his case, whose term of office was interrupted.
“Ito ay base sa isang Supreme Court ruling bago-bago pa lang wala pang isang lingo na lumabas. Itong Tallado vs. COMELEC,” Bayron further said.