Is there politics behind Rama’s suspension order?

By: Pia Piquero – 3 minutes ago

Cebu City Mayor Michael “Mike’ Lopez Rama. | File photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is pulling no punches when he says the six-month preventive lockdown has “political” implications.

Rama said he was not so naive as to believe that the suspension was not political in nature and he would be committing spiritual dishonesty if he denied it.

When asked during a press conference on the evening of May 9, immediately after his prayer rally, whether he meant Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia Rama was behind the said command and instead replied, “Ask her…Ask her.”

Before answering the question, however, he addressed the long-standing political controversy between himself and the governor.

Rama reiterated the issues where the governor “intruded and obstructed” regarding the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT).

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EXPLANATION: Rama’s suspension and why did the Ombudsman order it?

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“Dili ko palaaway nga pagkatawo, labi na babaye,” he said.

(I’m not one to start arguments, especially not with women.)

On May 2, the Ombudsman made his decision on the administrative case filed last April by four City Hall employees – Filomena Atuel, Maria Almicar Dionggzon, Sybil Ann Ybañez and Chito Dela Cerna – against Rama and some officials.

In an eight-page resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said they had found sufficient grounds to pre-emptively suspend Rama and several City Hall executives for, among other things, committing serious misconduct and unbecoming behavior toward a public official and prejudicial to the welfare of others.

According to Martires, there is “strong evidence” that proves the guilt of the defendants and the charges against them.

Atuel, Diongzon, Ybañez and Dela Cerna asked the Ombudsman for assistance because the city government had not paid their salaries for ten months.

This was due to the city government’s decision to assign them new roles, which the complainants described as acts of oppression and discrimination.

Regarding salaries, Rama stated that he has already arranged for the salaries of the employees to be paid.

He said he had instructed City Manager Collin Rosell to address the four employees’ complaints and was even prepared to cover the amount out of his own pocket.

Rama mentioned that as soon as the employees voiced their grievances in the local media, he immediately instructed his subordinates to monitor the situation and address any issues if necessary.

The mayor even said that they had documents proving that the salaries of the four employees had already been paid.

Rama also questioned why he was included in the suspension when he was not even responsible for paying the salaries of City Hall employees.

“Dili man ko payroll maker uy. Nganong ako man? Ako gyud?” he asked.

(I’m not a payroll clerk. Why me? Am I really?)

But contrary to Rama’s statement about the payments already made, Ybañez, one of the affected employees, informed reporters via email that Dr. Theresa Rosell, the acting city auditor, signed her pay stub, but only four months of wages were included in the signed pay stub.

She stated that her salaries for July to December 2023 are still pending as they will be charged to the previous year’s account and are subject to approval by the city manager and the Sangguniang Panglalawigan. /with reports from Morexette Marie Erram

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