Understanding hoped for from suspended mayor

By: Pia Piquero – 48 seconds ago

Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia addresses the concerns in a press conference on Thursday, May 23. | CDN Digital/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia hopes that suspended Mayor Michael Rama understands that his actions are solely for the welfare of Cebuanos and not driven by any political agenda.

Garcia said Mayor Rama is allowed to have his own opinion and he will continue to give him the utmost respect.

“I just hope that what I am doing may open his eyes to the fact that all my actions are for the good of the Cebuanos,” Garcia said.

With this statement, he responded to the reservations of suspended Mayor Rama regarding the current actions of the Cebu City government under Garcia’s temporary supervision.

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Rama said Garcia’s instructions did not seem to be in line with his own. The suspended mayor also mentioned that he felt “harassed” by the decisions and political orientation of incumbent Mayor Garcia, who is his ally and party colleague.

According to a news report, Rama stated: “It disturbs me… Kana bang, this has already happened, this has already happened, I am dying of anger, I am dying of anger, I am dying of anger in the actions. ‘Actions speak louder than words.'”

(It bothers me… I am still alive, I am still alive, then what I see is something bad, what I hear is bad, I have observed actions that are not good, and actions speak louder than words.}

He even added: “I wanted to make this clear because I am the one who was elected mayor and was only suspended for malicious reasons.”

On June 7, Rama and his legal team answered questions during an online conference after participating in an online First Friday Mass.

One of the questions concerned his view on the current situation in Cebu City during his temporary suspension.

When asked about Garcia, Rama said he initially believed that the deputy mayor had a solid political compass and would not be influenced by current events in the city.

“I really thought he had a solid political compass and was not politically disturbed… As if he wasn’t my deputy mayor,” Rama said.

The suspended mayor also noted and claimed that a “lust for power” has become prevalent in Cebu City Hall, noting that his presence has been taken for granted despite his “malicious” preventive suspension.

Furthermore, Rama expressed his hope to return as mayor of Cebu City as soon as possible. He said his legal team is doing its best to appeal what he considers to be a malicious suspension.

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