Rama: Only death can stop my 2025 candidacy

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who was preventively suspended and recently dismissed from service by the Ombudsman, said on Thursday, October 10, that only death could stop his candidacy for mayor in 2025. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Dismissed Cebu City Mayor and reelectionist Michael Rama said that only death could stop him from running for mayor in the 2025 midterm election.

He said that no one, not even the recent dismissal order from the Office of the Ombudsman, could prevent him from pursuing his candidacy.

“No one can stop me from running for mayor of Cebu City… only death… kamatayon (death),” Rama said during a convergence meeting with local members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) on Thursday, October 10.

Rama was dismissed from public office after being found guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct. In an order dated September 9, 2024, the Office of the Ombudsman imposed the penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding any government post.

This has put Rama’s reelection bid on shaky ground. On October 4, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that all Ombudsman decisions involving candidates for the May 2025 polls would be immediately enforceable, even if they could be appealed later.

“I will face them…Kana sila, wala na sila mutuo og milagro…Bahala na sila, mga y*wa,” he said.

(I will face them…They, they don’t believe in miracles…I don’t care what they do, they are devils.)

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On October 9, elected Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia took the oath to officially assume the unexpired term of Michael Rama, becoming the full-fledged mayor of Cebu City for the coming months.

Garcia had already been serving as acting mayor since May when Rama was placed under preventive suspension for failing to pay four regular employees for 10 months.

Rama was expected to return to his position in November after his six-month suspension. However, the Ombudsman recently found him guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct, leading to his dismissal.

Despite Garcia having taken his oath, Rama said in an interview on Wednesday that he still planned to return.

He said that he was the duly elected mayor of Cebu City and no one else.

“I never said I am not coming back. I am coming back,” Rama said.

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On Thursday, newly sworn-in Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced plans to discontinue the “Singapore-like” vision, which was the central focus of Rama’s administration.

He said this was one of the previous administration’s initiatives he intended to drop, though he would continue key programs such as the “Gubat sa Baha” (War on Floods) and housing projects.

Garcia said that Rama should no longer consider trying to return to office, as he had already taken his oath as mayor.

He added that, as a lawyer, Rama understood the legal implications of the situation.

When asked about the matter on Thursday, Rama responded that he would not address the issue in this press briefing, but he would hold another press conference to discuss it further.