‘Buhi pa ko!’: Mike Rama rages over missing portraits in City Hall

Dismissed Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama expressed outrage on February 21 over the removal of his portraits at City Hall, which had been replaced by portraits of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Dismissed Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama turned a routine press engagement into a dramatic City Hall takeover on Friday.

He was fuming over what he called an attempt to insult him as the duly “elected” mayor.

Rama, who wore denim pants and his signature yellow Partido Barug-Team Rama shirt with the word “MAYOR,” held a press conference at a bakery just 200 meters from City Hall at around 10 a.m.

He was initially responding to media queries when one reporter asked about the demand letter for the return of a government-issued vehicle. Rama indirectly answered the question but questioned why the vehicle was being recalled if he was the duly “elected” mayor.

He described the move as a form of “oppression, tyranny, and abuse of authority.”

Visibly irked, he then abruptly stood up and walked to City Hall in an unannounced visit.

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At 11 a.m., Rama arrived at City Hall. He greeted and hugged familiar faces but quickly grew emotional upon noticing that his official portraits had been removed from their usual placements. Instead, the walls now have the images of incumbent Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.

“Nganong siya [Garcia] naman ang nakabutang diha nga buhi pa lage ko? Naunsa naman ni?” Rama raged upon reaching the second floor.

Rama was visibly agitated and roamed the hallways, greeting employees but repeatedly demanding to know why his portraits had been removed.

“Asa man nawng nako oy nga buhi paman ko. Napapag ako pagka mayor? Tubaga ko ninyo. Asa? Kasabot mos pasabot nako? I’m still alive pero ila nang gikuha,” he said.

He visited multiple offices, including the Sangguniang Panglungsod Secretariat, the session hall, the social hall, and the caucus room, before heading to the executive building’s lounge area, where he sat down and held another press conference.

Before leaving past noon, Rama ended with a prayer: “Lord, let your things be done. I wish illegal will step down and legal will ascend.”

Two hours later, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia called a press conference to address Rama’s unannounced visit.

Garcia said that Rama’s surprise visit did not disrupt City Hall operations, reiterating that the building remains open to the public.

He also said he was unaware of the removal of Rama’s portraits, where he clarified that the City Council is responsible for displaying images of the incumbent mayor and past local chief executives.

“His [Rama’s] picture should be there because he is a former mayor. Naa man gani picture ni daddy [former mayor Alvin Garcia], mayor [Edgardo] Labella and [former mayor] Tomas Osmeña. Para nako, his picture should really be there but as a former mayor, we will give him that,” Garcia said. /clorenciana