TENSION gripped the Pasay city hall yesterday on reports that Vice Mayor Antonino Calixto was set to reclaim his post after the Court of Appeals issued a 60-day temporary restraining against his dismissal.

The four-page ruling upheld Calixto’s argument that he was deprived of due process when the Ombudsman and the Interior department immediately implemented the dismissal order issued last Jan. 17 especially as the order was not final and executory.

A fire truck was positioned a few meters from the city hall’s entrance, in front of which a steel barricade was erected.

Business transactions, however, remained normal.

Calixto said he would reclaim his post which is being held by Councilor Allan Tolentino.

He said that as the vice mayor, he is the legitimate successor to former Mayor Wenceslao "Peewee" Trinidad who was also dismissed last month.

Alan Panaligan, who was named by the interior department to succeed Trinidad, said he cannot just leave his post as it would be tantamount to dereliction of duty.

Panaligan became mayor because he was the most senior member of the city council after his colleagues Richard Advincula, Lexter Ibay, Jose Antonio Roxas, Arnel Regino Arceo, Noel Bayona, Editha Vergel De Dios, Marie Irish Pineda and Greg Paolo Alcera were suspended and subsequently dismissed along with Trinidad and Calixto.

They were accused of graft for entering into an allegedly anomalous P464 million contract for garbage collection and waste disposal in 2004 and 2005.

DILG Undersecretary Wencelito Andanar in a radio interview said he was waiting for the CA order. "We do not deal with unofficially transmitted temporary restraining order," he said.

He said Calixto has no right to claim the mayoralty.

"Panaligan is now the mayor. He was acting in that capacity when Mayor Trinidad was on preventive suspension. He was given a permanent appointment when Trinidad was eventually dismissed," said Andanar.

Trinidad, Calixto and city councilors Richard Advincula, Lexter Ibay, Jose Antonio Roxas, Arnel Regino Arceo, Noel Bayona, Editha Vergel De Dios, Marie Irish Pineda and Greg Paolo Alcera were suspended and dismissed by the Ombudsman for entering into an allegedly anomalous P464 million contract for garbage collection and waste disposal in 2004 and 2005. – Ashzel Hachero