DILG-7 on Rama suspension: Still no orders from Central Office, Ombudsman

The office of Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, which is usually busy with people going in and out for transactions, is almost deserted on Tursday, May 9, a day after the Ombudsman ordered the mayor suspended for six months. CDN Digital photo | Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The office of the Department of Interior and Local Government here (DILG-7) is still waiting for the orders from the Central Office regarding the preventive suspension order imposed by the Office of the Ombudsman on Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

DILG-7 spokesperson, Lawyer Michael Maxino Bandal said in a phone interview that as of Thursday, May 9, 2024, the regional office has not received any letter or order from the Central Office.

“Wala man pud mi naka receive pod og letter for implementation. I don’t know kung asa gikan na gipadala sa Ombudsman. Basig naa sa Central [Office] ba. Kung wala mi directive, wala mi basis pud sa implementation. Maghuwat rami sa Ombudsman or Central Office,” Bandal said.

(We haven’t received a letter for implementation. I don’t know where the  Ombudsman sent it. Maybe it’s with the Central Office. If we have no directive, we don’t have basis for the implementation. We will just wait for the Ombudsman or Central Office.)

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama was placed under suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman on May 8.

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Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama suspended for 6 months

Rama was suspended for the complaint of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest among others.  The decision stemmed over a case that involved the reassigning of several city hall employees that resulted in the city government’s failure to pay them their wages for 10 months.

In a separate follow up with DILG Cebu City, the agency said it also hasn’t received any order from the national offices as of Thursday.

Around 9 a.m. on the same day, the Mayor’s Office, which is usually busy with people going in and out for transactions, was almost deserted while the legal team of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is finding remedies for the situation.