Cebu City Mayor Continues To Hold Office Despite Six-Month Suspension By OP

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama on Monday continued to hold office despite a decision of the Office of the President (OP) suspending him and 13 other city officials for giving themselves PHP20,000 in calamity assistance.

This was the second suspension ordered by the OP on Rama who served a 60-day preventive suspension in December last year and January this year.

Rama said he has not yet received a copy of the decision signed by Executive Secretary Pacquito Ochoa Jr. which found him, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and 12 city councilors guilty of abuse of authority.

In a five-page decision dated April 7, Ochoa said it was improper for the Cebu City Hall officials to give themselves PHP20,000 in calamity assistance, when there was no proof they were victims of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake and typhoon Yolanda in late 2013.

The Commission on Audit (COA) pointed out the same impropriety, Ochoa said, when it disallowed the aid, which cost the city PHP83.4 million.

Ochoa directed Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento to get the approval of the Commission on Elections to implement the suspension order.

Suspending and transferring public officials and employees is among the acts banned during the official campaign period for local candidates, which started last March 25.

The suspension order covers, along with Rama and Labella,Councilors Dave Tumulak, Hanz Abella, Gerardo Carillo and Noel Wenceslao of Team Rama; and Councilors Nestor Archival Sr., Mary Ann delos Santos, Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Roberto Cabarrubias, Nida Cabrera, Alvin Dizon and Eugenio Gabuya of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan.

Only five of the city’s elective officials were spared from the suspension order.

They are City Councilors Richie Osmeña, MargotOsmeña, Leah Japson, James Cuenco, and Philip Zafra, who heads the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC). (PNA) LAP/EB/SSC