IMUS, Cavite, Philippines — Incumbent Mayor Homer T. Saquilayan will stay in office until December 27 following the issuance of a writ of execution for former Mayor Emmanuel L. Maliksi to take over his position.

Saquilayan, through legal counsel Charles Perfecto A. Mercado, filed a restraining or status quo order and injunction plea after the local court granted two Mondays ago the Special Order to Grant Execution Pending Appeal which Maliksi petitioned.

The move allowed Saquilayan to stay in office for 20 working days.

This developed as administration officers and employees said that operations and services at the municipal hall are "as usual" amid the development following the court decision unseating Saquilayan, in favor Maliksi, basing the revision of the protested mayoralty ballots in the May 10, 2010 automated elections.

Members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod (Municipal Council) likewise said that the sessions continue to function normally despite the political brouhaha.

In an interview, Councilors Dennis T. Lacson and Shernan S. Jaro said that "all's well" at the session hall as the 10-man council continues to work on the agenda, particularly the municipal budget for the coming year and pending resolutions and actions for their constituents.

Tension continues to grip the municipal hall as a report said that Maliksi would take over as mayor of the town with the court development.

Imus Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Cesar A. Mangrobang, in his decision, said that Maliksi won by 655 votes in the elections following the revision of the ballots in question in some precincts in the town.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Saquilayan as the duly elected mayor of Imus after he won by 8,499 votes against incumbent Mayor Maliksi in the country's first-electronic run elections.

Saquilayan has to wait until December 27 whether his restraining order would be granted or not by the Comelec.The police and the camps of Saquilayan continue to monitor the developments and stand guard on events.