Rama’s suspension was “collateral damage”

By: Morexette Marie B. Erram – 1 min ago

File photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The suspension of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama was collateral damage, former President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte said.

Duterte on Saturday, May 25, wrote an open letter to his supporters in Tacloban City, where his camp planned to hold a “Maisug rally” at the city’s Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Plaza.

Due to bad weather the event did not take place.

However, the former president was convinced that there was a deliberate intention to prevent these activities and accused the government of current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of suppressing dissent.

READ: Duterte condemns ‘deliberate’ efforts to stop ‘Maisug’ rally in Tacloban

“As part of the Marcos administration’s policy of suppressing peaceful dissent, they are doing everything possible to prevent this rally,” Duterte wrote in the letter, which was posted online by former Malacañan manager and lawyer Vic Rodriguez.

He also referred to previous and similar examples, adding that some local officials, including Rama, should face consequences for allowing these rallies to take place.

collateral damage

“Innocent government employees were either replaced or suspended as collateral damage of these rallies, including Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama,” Duterte said.

READ: Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama suspended for 6 months

“The message is clear: If you do not do your part to thwart these rallies, you will pay dearly,” he added.

It may be recalled that last February, a “prayer rally” led by Duterte and his allies took place at the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City.

READ: Rama confirms he will attend prayer rally in Cebu on Sunday

Only a few local Cebu officials, including Mayor Rama, attended the event.

Three months later, the Ombudsman’s Office ordered a six-month preventive suspension of the mayor. The incident concerned the fact that the city administration had not paid salaries to transferred city hall employees for several months.

The case was filed in April.

Rama had previously considered the possibility that the suspension order issued against him might have been politically motivated.

Rally in Tacloban

Duterte mentioned in his letter flight cancellations, travel restrictions, power outages and disruptions at the Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Plaza, where the prayer rally was to take place.

The day before the planned Maisug rally, there were power outages in parts of the city, while heavy machinery accompanied by riot police was stationed in the square.

An aide to Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the mayor was unaware of the Maisug prayer rally.

The mayor was focused on monitoring the severe tropical storm Aghon that hit the Eastern Visayas region, including this city, the aide said.

Mayor Romualdez had previously defended his cousin against Duterte’s accusations that he was a drug user, saying the president had not consumed cocaine or other illegal substances. / with reports from Inquirer-Visayas

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