Labella taps five lawyers to join his administration

Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgar Labella will already occupy the office of the mayor starting on June 30, 2019. /CDN File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Old and new faces will be seen at the Cebu City Hall when Mayor-elect Edgardo Labella assumes his post starting on June 30.

Labella said that he tapped the services of lawyers and other professionals to join his administration to ensure that the rule of law is always upheld in their delivery of government services.

Joining his team are lawyers Floro Q. Casas, Jr. – City Administrator; Jerone G. Castillo, CPA – City Treasurer; Rey Gealon, PhD – City Attorney; Mark Salomon, CPA – City Budget Officer and June Maratas, ChE – General Services Officer (GSO).

Castillo was City Legal Officer during the administration for former mayor and Vice Mayor-elect Michael Rama while Gealon was executive director of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).

Salomon used to be city account before he was replaced by Tessie Camarillo in 2016 while Maratas used to be assigned with the City Legal Office.

Casas is a senior partner at the mayor-elect’s E.C. Labella law firm.

“To ensure that our administration would follow the rule of law, I will be appointing the following lawyers and professionals as heads of departments and offices (first batch) of the Cebu City Government when I assume office on June 30, 2019,” Labella posted on his Facebook page at around 6 p.m. today, June 21.

His team of lawyers will also be joined by Jerome V. Ornopia, CPA, MBA – City Accountant; Dr. Daisy S. Villa, MPA, DMHCM – City Health Officer; Engr. Kenneth M. Carmelita Enriquez, M.Eng – City Engineer and Arch. Florante Catalan – City Building Official.