Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama during his speech in the prayer rally on Sunday, Feb. 25. Screengrab/SMNI Facebook live
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama stays firm despite being ordered a preventive suspension by the Ombudsman.
He now plans to ask for Supreme Court intervention, believing the decision might be politically motivated.
Rama questions the fairness of the anti-graft office’s six-month suspension, stating he and seven other City Hall officials weren’t given a chance to defend themselves.
“Damage has already been done. Unsa pama’y mabuhat nako ani? I have been judged already. Wala man gane ko kadawat sa akong kopya. I am already condemned,” Rama said in his Ingna’ng Mayor teleradyo program on May 10.
READ: EXPLAINER: Rama suspension and why the Ombudsman ordered it?
Is politics behind Rama’s suspension order?
Rama vowed to take a “fiesta” of legal actions against those persecuting him, including the anti-graft office, for maliciously tarnishing his and his family’s reputation.
He admitted feeling worn out by the criticisms.
He warned that even media members who tarnished his family’s reputation would face legal consequences.
“Whatever media or what not, we will be keeping abreast in bringing what belongs to us, which is our right and the right of all who were maliciously put into embarrassment,” Rama said.
He remained firm in his belief that the suspension order carried political implications, labeling it “pathetic and nauseating” that his political opponents had resorted to every possible means to oust him from office.
Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Central Visayas failed to serve the suspension order to Rama and several other city officials on May 10.
Suspension order vs Rama, 7 others not yet final – DILG-7
Although they had already posted a memorandum at the City Assessor’s 9ffice, they clarified that this action did not constitute the final serving of the suspension order but rather a notification. They stated their intention to return and personally serve the order to the respondents.
Apart from Rama, the other respondents of the suspension order are lawyer Collin Rossell, Maria Theresa Rossell, Francis May Jacaban, Angelique Cabugao, Jay-Ar Pescante, Lester Joey Beniga, and Nelyn Sanrojo.
The issue stemmed from the city government’s decision to reassign four regular tax mappers to new roles in what the complainants described as acts of oppression and discrimination. /clorenciana