Suspension order against Rama, 7 others not yet final

DILG-7 Director Leocadio Trovela posted the memorandum of the suspension order on the main door of the city assessor’s office on Friday, May 10. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A confusing turn of events took place at Cebu City Hall on Friday, May 10, as Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and seven other city officials were served with the suspension order.

At 11:30 a.m., the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) of Central Visayas arrived at City Hall to serve the Rama Suspension Order of the Office of the Ombudsman dated May 2, 2024.

In addition to Rama, the other defendants in the suspension order are attorneys Collin Rossell, Maria Theresa Rossell, Francis May Jacaban, Angelique Cabugao, Jay-Ar Pescante, Lester Joey Beniga and Nelyn Sanrojo.

However, several offices and authorities refused to accept and recognize the document.

The reason for this was that they were not authorized to receive it or did not have the proper office to do so.

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Although DILG-7 had the option to serve the suspension order even if City Hall staff refused to accept it, similar to Rama’s suspension in 2015, they chose to exhaust all options, involving various offices involved.

However, they were unsuccessful until they reached the city assessor’s office.

Employees of the said office still refused to accept the document, prompting DILG-7 Director Leocadio Trovela to resort to the last resort of posting the order on the main door of the city assessor’s office at 12:40 p.m

The memorandum posted in the office of the municipal assessor indicated the implementation of the order of May 2, 2024 of the Office of the Ombudsman entitled “FILOMENA”. ATUEL, ET AL. VS. MICHAEL L. RAMA, ET AL.’ (all local governments of Cebu City).

“In the subject order, the Office of the Ombudsman placed respondents Michael L. Rama, Mayor of the City; Collin E. Rosell, city manager; Maria Theresa C, Rosell, Officer in Charge, City Assessor’s Office; Francis May L. Jacaban, designated deputy head of department (administration/legal officer); Angelique B. Cabugao, designated deputy chief (operations); Jay-Ar B. Pescante, designated chief administrative officer; Lester Joey O. Beniga, Designated Assessment of Records Management Division Head, and Nelyn P. Sanrojo, Designated Computer Division Head of the entire local government of Cebu City, are placed on precautionary suspension pending the completion of the administrative judgment in this case, but not longer than six ( 6) months without payment, unless the delay in disposing of the case is due to their fault, negligence or request; in this case, the time of delay will not be taken into account when calculating the period of preventive suspension.” Excerpt from the memorandum.

It further said: “In view of the fact that the said order is immediately enforceable, you are hereby directed to direct the immediate implementation of the above Ombudsman Order against respondents Michael L. Rama, Collin E. Rosell, Maria Theresa C. Rosell and Francis May L. Jacaban.” , Angelique B. Cabugao, Jay-Ar B. Pescante, Lester Joey O. Beniga, Nelyn P. Sanjoro.”

But shortly after the said suspension order was served at the city assessor’s office, another twist took place.

In an interview with Trovela, he explained that this was not the final serving of the suspension order, but merely a “notification” of the suspension.

He said they intended to deliver and serve the suspension order in person, but since the people involved were not present, he said they would simply come back.

Trovela also said they would meet with their legal committee and decide on the manner of serving the suspension order.

Trovela further mentioned that as of May 10, “no one has been served with a suspension order.”

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

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 requested assistance from the Ombudsman because the city government had not paid their salaries for ten months.

The reason for this was the city government’s decision to assign them new roles in what the complainants described as acts of oppression and discrimination./ with reports from Morexette Marie Erram

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