Two Leaders, One Town: The Strange Case of Dauis, Bohol
BOHOL – Residents of Dauis, Bohol, woke up to a bizarre scenario this week—two officials are claiming to be the town’s rightful mayor.
The municipality of Dauis, Bohol, is facing political turmoil after two officials both assumed the role of mayor, leaving residents and local employees uncertain about the town’s leadership. On Monday, embattled Mayor Marietta Tocmo-Sumaylo and Vice Mayor Marie Nickie Bolos-Delgado both reported to their respective offices, asserting their authority over the municipal government.
Tocmo-Sumaylo maintained that she remains the duly elected leader, emphasizing that she has yet to receive an official order from the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) requiring her to step down.
“In the absence of such an order, I am duty-bound to continue performing my functions as mayor. Stepping aside without due process would amount to neglect of duty,” she stated.
She further explained that she had already written to the DILG Central Visayas regional director to clarify the matter. According to her, no official document directly addressed to her has been issued to implement her dismissal.
“We will wait for the order of implementation. I will respect and follow the law,” she added.
On the other hand, Bolos-Delgado, who officially took her oath as Dauis mayor last Friday following a directive from the DILG, also entered the municipal office located in the Legislative Building. A fresh sign now identifies her workspace as the “Office of the Mayor.”
The lawyer-turned-mayor clarified that her assumption of the role was not motivated by personal ambition. “This is not about me, this is not about what I want, and this is not about Mayor Miriam (Sumaylo). This is about the rule of law and respecting government institutions. It is about ensuring that the delivery of basic services is not delayed and that municipal transactions are not hampered,” she explained.
Bolos-Delgado also acknowledged that Tocmo-Sumaylo may still explore legal remedies but underscored that the municipality must observe the Ombudsman’s ruling and DILG directives in the meantime.
The clash has placed the town in an awkward state of uncertainty. DILG-Bohol Director Johnjoan Mende attempted to mediate by meeting with both parties on Monday, but “things were not resolved.”
The Ombudsman previously ordered Tocmo-Sumaylo’s dismissal after finding her guilty of grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty. The case stemmed from her issuance of a business permit to a cockpit arena in 2022, despite the facility’s franchise expiring two years earlier.
While the Court of Appeals has already dismissed her petition for a temporary restraining order, Tocmo-Sumaylo has filed a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman, which remains pending.
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