Malacañang Orders Rama To Answer Complaint of Brgy. Labangon Chief

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has been directed by the Office of the President to submit his answer to the complaint in relation to the alleged unlawful demolition of the road’s center island and street lighting project in Katipunan Street, Barangay Labangon last March.

The order signed by Michael G. Aguinaldo, the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs, ordered Rama to submit his verified answer and not a motion to dismiss the complaint filed by Labangon Barangay Captain Victor Buendia for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and oppression.

Rama has been ordered by Malacañang to furnish the complainant with a copy of his verified answer, while Buendia was also directed to pay the filing fee of P1,500 payable to the cashier of the Office of the President.

Aguinaldo directed Rama to comply with the order within 15 days from the receipt of said notice, while the Buendia was also reminded that failure on his part to pay the filing fee would result to the outright dismissal of his complaint.

It was Rama who ordered the members of the City Hall’s Prevention Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE), headed by Raquel Arce, to demolish the project that was constructed at the middle of Katipunan Street near Salvador Street.

The barangay captain was so very disappointed when Rama ordered the demolition of the P300,000-worth center island and street lighting project that has a permission from the mayor himself before it was constructed.

Some of the Labangon officials had a heated arguments with the demolition team, but Arce earlier explained “I have to abide by my immediate superior. I am just following orders.”

Arce said they had to destroy the protruding piles of hollow blocks at the center island, because it was a traffic hazard particularly at night since the area is dimly lit.

Buendia argued that the project would supposedly benefit the public, but Rama earlier explained that when he inspected the place he found out that a center island is not appropriate in that road. The mayor welcomes Buendia’s move to file a case.

He even said “Let them file a case and that’s the end of our relationship. If that’s the way they will treat Cebu City and the Office of the Mayor, then I can declare war against them. Is that the way they want it? Then they will have it.”

Rama is presently in Sabrosa City in Portugal, to sign, on behalf of the city, the sister-city relationship, with the mayor of that Spanish city.

The mayor is currently facing two administrative cases before the Office of the President, including the one that was filed by Lawyer Reymelio Delute in connection with the granting of P20,000 calamity assistance to each of the 4,200 officials and employees of the city last December.

The government state auditors had already announced that such granting of calamity assistance was highly irregular.

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