Ombudsman clears Rama of graft, coercion charges

THE Ombudsman-Visayas recently cleared suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama of charges filed against him by a garage owner of barangay Apas, Cebu City.

No evidence was found to show   the mayor was guilty of  grave coercion  and unjust vexation.

Myrna Cruz earlier  filed charges against Rama, City Legal Officer Jerone Castillo and Wendell Cenas, assistant chief of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team, for closing down her garage which she had converted into a repair shop for public utility vehicles.

“Public respondents are presumed to have acted in good faith in the performance of their official functions in the absence of evidence to the contrary,” said graft investigation officer Vivien Leigh.

Ombudsman also cleared Rama of graft charges filed against him for lack of evidence to show  he failed to turn over a city government issued vehicle to Barangay Pahina San Nicolas.

“The approval of the use of the Toyota Hilux vehicle should be under Pahina San Nicolas barangay chairman Antonio Caruzca,” said graft investigation and prosecution officer Maria Bernadeth Subaan said.

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