Cebu City Hall ‘irregularities’ due to ‘mayoral’ confusion, says Rama

But Raymond Garcia argues, "The Cebu City government knows who the mayor is."

Dismissed Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama pointed to the reserved parking sign for the city mayor after his car was clamped in front of the executive building of City Hall on Monday, December 2. | CDN Digital File Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Dismissed Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the irregularities plaguing Cebu City Hall were due to “leadership confusion” under the current administration.

He cited the alleged mismanagement of employee salaries and reports of Daily Time Record (DTR) fraud, stressing that a lack of clarity in governance has fostered “disorder and corruption.”

“Dili gyud na siya maminusan (That cannot be minimized). I’m telling you because of confusion. Corruption starts with confusion; irregularities are bred by confusion,” Rama told CDN Digital on February 5.

Rama pointed out that the leadership confusion stems from the current mayor acting in a capacity that lacks legitimacy. He asserted that such a situation creates an environment where irregularities thrive.

He warned that more instances of fraud and mismanagement would likely surface without a stable leadership structure.

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Over 50 employees unpaid

On February 4, Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) head Henry Tomalabcad revealed that over 50 employees from 24 City Hall offices had not received their salaries, with some unpaid as far back as October 2024.

The affected workers include job orders, casual, and regular employees.

Tomalabcad attributed the delays to incomplete payroll submissions and alleged “power-tripping” by administrative officers, which further complicated the payroll process.

Rama noted that this situation had created a chaotic environment within the city government.

“Nagkagubot gani, wala gani nagkadimao na diha, it will open more irregularities,” he said.

(There is now confusion, there is even no order there, it will open more irregularities.)

DTR fraud reported

Further compounding the issues are allegations of widespread DTR fraud. Civil Security Unit (CSU) head Ariel Yburan reported that four personnel were caught falsifying attendance records by clocking in for absent colleagues.

These individuals were found punching two time cards each, effectively manipulating work-hour records.

Rama said that this type of fraud undermined the integrity of government operations and reflects poorly on leadership.

He warned that when employees witness misconduct, they would likely to follow suit, leading to a culture of dishonesty.

“What will happen? Follow the leader na na siya (That is follow the leader). I’m telling you, follow the leader,” Rama added.

Rama criticizes Garcia

Moreover, Rama did not hold back in criticizing the leadership of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, whom he accused of overstepping his role. He claimed that Garcia was acting as if he held the mayoral position permanently, despite Rama’s ongoing legal battle over his dismissal.

He recounted receiving feedback from various sources who allegedly commented that Garcia seemed to relish a position that was not rightfully his.

“Naay muingon nako, ‘ngil-ngiga ning bataa, feel na feel na gyud ni niya ang pwesto nga dili iyaha.’ I’m sorry to say that,” he said.

(They would say to me, ‘this kid is amazing, he really feels that the position is his’, I’m sorry to say that.)

He also alluded to his dismissal, asserting that it was politically motivated. Rama said that his association with former President Rodrigo Duterte might have contributed to his current predicament, though he clarified that he had never spoken ill of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“I was there for Digong to continue to stand and help. Sa tinuod (In fact), I was never given a chance to speak with the president,” he added.

Rama further criticized the strict enforcement of employment policies under Garcia’s administration, stating that sanctions were being imposed arbitrarily, which disrupted operations and affected employees’ livelihood.

“Naa nay mga pamilya. Duwa-duwaan ra nimo?,” he said.

(These people have families and you play with them?)

Garcia defends administration

In a separate interview, Garcia refuted Rama’s claims of confusion within City Hall. He maintained that the issues were primarily administrative and could be resolved through proper documentation and compliance.

“I think there’s no confusion. There’s just a matter of looking at documentation. You cannot solely blame the government because there are people nga wala naka-submit og (who did not submit) requirements,” Garcia said.

He assured the public that the city government was already investigating both the unpaid salaries and the DTR fraud allegations.

“We need to look into who these people are and what the reasons behind these issues are,” he said.

“Also, the Cebu City government knows who the mayor is; there is no confusion about that,” Garcia added.

Ongoing investigations

Meanwhile, Tomalabcad earlier confirmed that notices of explanation had been issued, and investigations were underway to address both the payroll delays and fraudulent DTR practices.

He assured that the HRDO was working closely with other departments to resolve these issues and prevent further irregularities.