Preventively suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama banned from public office

Rama was found guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Preventively suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has been permanently disqualified from holding any government position after the Office of the Ombudsman found him guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct.

In an order dated September 9, 2024, and obtained by media on Thursday, October 3, the Ombudsman ruled that Rama’s acts of nepotism, specifically the hiring of his wife’s two brothers as casual employees in City Hall, violated multiple provisions of the Civil Service rules.

The ruling includes his dismissal from service, cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, except accrued leave credits, and permanent disqualification from government reemployment.

Although the order is still not final and executory and is open for appeal, Rama said he has yet to receive an official copy of the Ombudsman’s order. When asked for comment, he declined, citing the absence of any formal notification.

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The decision stemmed from a complaint filed in January 2023 by Jonel Saceda, also known as “Inday Josa Chiongbian Osmeña,” who accused Michael Rama of appointing his brothers-in-law, Elmer and Gomer Mandanat, to positions under the Office of the Mayor and the Cebu City Medical Center.

Both brothers, siblings of Rama’s second wife, Marilou Gimenez Mandanat-Rama, were employed as casual employees between January 2022 and December 2022.

The Ombudsman stated that these appointments were “prohibited nepotistic appointments” under existing civil service regulations.

Nepotism rules, which apply to both career and non-career service, prohibit the appointment of relatives within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, a relationship that includes the mayor’s in-laws.

In the ruling, the Ombudsman emphasized that the penalty for such offenses not only includes dismissal but also perpetual disqualification from holding any government office in the future.

If dismissal cannot be enforced due to Michael Rama’s separation from service, the penalty will be converted into a fine equivalent to his one-year salary.

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The Ombudsman’s ruling came as a bitter turn of events for Partido Barug Team Rama, led by the suspended Michael Rama, who filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) today for the upcoming elections.