Rama: Fight not over yet

By: Morexette Marie B. Erram – 7 hours ago

Then, Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia inaugurate the virtual Sinulog in 2022. | File photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has not given up his recent conflict with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Rama’s camp confirmed on Sunday, June 9, that it had received a copy of the order from Malacañang denying its request for preventive suspension of Garcia for interfering in City Hall affairs for lack of merit.

READ MORE: Malacañang will not suspend Gwen; says Rama’s request is baseless

But according to the mayor, this development does not mean that it is already over, as the governor has yet to be instructed to respond to the complaint lodged against her at the palace. In return, he also appealed to the governor and other concerned parties to cooperate in the process.

Due process

“Mayor Rama is confident that the matter will be resolved by the Office of the President with an unwavering commitment to fairness, transparency and due process,” they wrote in a statement sent to the media.

READ: Rama asks Malacañang to suspend Gwen over CBRT dispute

“As stewards of the interests of our constituents, it is of paramount importance that all public officials adhere to the highest standards of accountability and transparency. Mayor Rama underscores the importance of due process and the rule of law in resolving such issues,” they added.

READ: Gwen orders halt to Cebu BRT construction in historic buffer zones

Meanwhile, Rama said he would continue to “fight for the autonomy of Cebu City and defend it from encroachment.”

“Together, we will fight to ensure that Cebu City remains a bastion of freedom and good governance, and we will remain true to our principles,” his camp said.

It should be recalled that Rama filed a formal complaint with the Office of the President, asking the country’s most powerful official to remove Garcia from public office for interfering in the affairs of the municipality.

He cited, among other reasons, the governor’s order to stop work on the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for heritage conservation reasons.

Although Cebu City is the capital of Cebu, it is administered independently of the provincial government.

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