DILG-7 Serves 60-day Suspension Order to Cebu City Mayor Rama

Cebu City (PNA) — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 has served the 60-day suspension order by Malacañang on Mayor Michael Rama at the Cebu City Hall at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

DILG 7 Director Rene Burdeos spearheaded the serving of the order as he posted a copy of the suspension order on the door of the mayor’s office.

Dr. Lucille Mercado, city administrator, said the office staff of the mayor did not receive the suspension order because it was addressed to Rama, who did not report for work on Thursday morning.

An ally of the mayor, Tinago, Cebu City Barangay Captain Joel Garganera said Rama was meeting with barangay captains who are allies of the mayor’s Team Rama.

Burdeos said Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella was not able to take his oath before him as acting city mayor because he was attending a conference at a hotel in the city.

However, he said Labella can take his oath of office as acting mayor before any authorized person.

With Rama’s suspension, City Councilor Nestor Archival, the councilor with the highest votes in the last elections, will be the city’s acting vice mayor.

Rama’s 60-day suspension stemmed from a complaint of a barangay captain filed in early 2014, over the alleged unlawful demolition of a center island and a street lighting project on Katipunan St.

Rama’s suspension order was reportedly signed last Dec. 2 by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

Labangon village chief Victor Buendia has accused the mayor of grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, and oppression.

The project that triggered the complaint was expected to cost PHP1 million.

When the city demolished it, Buendia said, the partial works for the project already cost more than PHP300,000.

Buendia said it was unfair for Rama to demolish the project as he had given the go-signal for it in the first place.

“This is a good example for public officials that when we assume office, we cannot insist on doing everything we want,” he said. (PNA) FFC/BNB/EB/EDS