Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, through his legal counsel Virgil Ligutan, announce that he is filing charges of graft and corruption against former mayor and now Vice Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama and five other individuals for the sale of a 45-hectare lot at the South Road Properties. | CDND Photo / Gerard Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña is filing charges of graft and corruption against former mayor and now Vice Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama for the sale of the 45-hectare lot belonging to the South Road Properties (SRP).
Lawyer Amando Virgil Ligutan, the legal counsel of Osmeña, said the charges will be filed at the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday, December 9, 2019.
Ligutan said Osmeña is filing a case against Rama for proceeding with the contract with the SM-Ayala Consortium and Filinvest on August 7, 2015, during his term as mayor even when the 13th Sangguniang Panglungsod filed a resolution on August 5, 2015 asking the mayor not to sign the sale contract.
“It is elementary in law that before the mayor can sign any contract in behalf of the city, there must be a prior approval of the Sangguniang Panglungsod,” said Ligutan.
Aside from Rama, Acting City Treasurer Jerone Castillo, Budget Officer Mariette Gumia, Lucelle Mercado, Diwa Cuevas and Mark Rosell will also face graft and corruption charges.
Castillo was the city legal officer when Rama served as mayor in 2015.
Gumia was also budget officer under the Rama administration in 2015.
Mercado, Cuevas and Rosell are former City Hall employees when Rama was mayor.
Osmeña claimed that Rama and his officials intended to bypass the Sanggunang Panglungsod and force the contract to push because of their personal interests.
Lawyer Virigil Ligutan, legal counsel of former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, says Osmeña is confident that Vice Mayor Michael Rama will be held accountable for the illegal sale of the SRP lot. | CDND Photo / Delta Letigio
Ligutan said the supplemental agreement allegedly signed by Rama and the companies, which states that the payment will only be given if the City Council has passed an ordinance approving the sale, is a proof that both parties knew that Rama did not have authority when he signed the contract.
“Former mayor Osmeña is very confident that Vice Mayor Rama will be held accountable for the illegal sale [of the SRP lot],” said Ligutan.
Prior to this case, Osmeña already filed a petition for declaratory relief with prayer for preliminary injunction against the sale of the 45-hectare lot.
The case is pending before the Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 7. / celr