Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama. JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS
The Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) confirmed on Wednesday that Malacañang had ordered the suspension of Cebu City mayor Michael Rama for ordering the destruction of local government projects in Labangon, Cebu City.
Rama is also an ally of opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is running for President in next year’s elections.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DILG said the Office of the President on Dec. 2 ordered a preventive suspension for 60 days against Rama for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and oppression.
The order was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, who directed the DILG to implement immediately the preventive suspension of Rama pending the investigation of the charges filed against him.
Before Rama joined the United Nationalist Alliance and allied with Binay, Rama was a member of the ruling Liberal Party from 2010 until 2012.
Rama’s suspension stemmed from the administrative complaint filed by Barangay (village) Labangon Chairperson Victor Buendia last year for the “alleged unilateral act of the Mayor without due process and lawful authority” in ordering the demolition of a center island and street lighting project in the said village.
The center island and street lighting project were funded and undertaken by the barangay.
The suspension order said “street lights and center islands are not nuisances per se since they are not, in themselves, a menace to public health or safety. Indeed, they are usually constructed precisely to enhance the safety of pedestrians and the motoring public. Not being nuisances per se, such structures could only have been lawfully demolished, if at all, through the appropriate proceedings in court.”
No ‘outburst’
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Mel Sarmiento denied reports that Rama recently had an “outburst” at the main office of DILG in Quezon City.
“Mayor Rama was not in the central office for the past few days,” Sarmiento said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.
A Cebu Daily News report said the order is expected to be served to Rama anytime Thursday or on Friday.
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