MAYOR Michael Rama is expected to fight the suspension order. His allies link the penalty to his being head of the opposition party UNA in Cebu City. JOANALISA BELSONDA/CEBU DAILY NEWS
The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay blasted Malacañang for suspending Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, saying the order was illegal as it was issued in the middle of the campaign period.
In a statement on Tuesday, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) spokesperson Mon Ilagan said the suspension was an obvious move to wrest control of city hall, especially because Rama is an ally of Binay.
Ilagan said the suspension order was clearly illegal because the Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules clearly prohibit the suspension of elective local officials during the campaign period.
“What Malacañang and the Liberal Party are doing against the Mayor Rama and the entire city council of Cebu City is patently illegal, excessive, vicious and relentless. The Administration seems to have an unusually high interest in Mayor Rama that they need to suspend him twice over, and this time for giving P20,000 calamity assistance for employees of city hall,” Ilagan said.
The Office of the President ordered Rama, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and 12 councilors suspended for six months for abuse of authority for granting unto themselves a P20,000 calamity aid even though they were not victims of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake and Supertyphoon Yolanda which hit Cebu in 2013.
The order was signed on April 6 by Executive Secretary Pacquito Ochoa Jr. “by the authority of the President.”
READ: New suspension for Mike Rama
Ochoa said the grant of calamity aid was improper because Rama and the others were not able to present documents which would prove they were calamity victims.
But Ochoa directed the suspension order to Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento for his consideration especially with the Comelec ban on suspension of local elective officials during the campaign period.
Ilagan likened Rama’s suspension to Binay’s son Junjun’s suspension and subsequent dismissal from Makati after he was indicted for graft, malversation and falsification of public documents in connection with the alleged rigging in the procurement of the allegedly overpriced Makati carpark building.
READ: Ombudsman orders dismissal of Junjun Binay
Ilagan said the Liberal Party-Malacañang served a second suspension on Rama because the first one failed to give a “rabbit-punch” to Rama.
“Ang game plan nila ay i-knockout ang mga kalaban ng Liberal Party sa Cebu. Tulad sa boksing, desperado na ang LP na patumbahin si VP Binay sa pamamagitan ng pagbigay ng mga low blows and rabbit-punches sa mga local leaders ng UNA who are already doing the groundwork in Cebu. Kahit ilan pang kombinasyon ng suntok ang gawin nila, di matitinag si Mayor Rama at ang buong konseho. Patunay lamang na matibay ang matatag ang oposisyon sa Cebu at di kayang buwagin ng Administrasyon,” Ilagan said.
(Their game plan is to knock out opponents of the Liberal Party in Cebu. Like in boxing, the LP is desperate in beating VP Binay by giving low bows and rabbit punches among local leaders of UNA….Even if they do a combination of punches, Mayor Rama won’t be toppled and [so is] the whole council. It’s proof that the opposition in Cebu is strong and can’t be broken up by the administration.)
Ilagan decried political persecution by the administration of the local allies of Binay.
In December last year, Rama was also served a 60-day suspension from Malacañang for an alleged illegal removal of a center island project. He returned to the city hall in February and has since started campaigning for Binay in the vote-rich province.
Cebu is the most vote-rich province with 2.7-million registered voters.
READ: Garcias’ One Cebu Party dumps Binay
Rama is allied with Binay even as the latter has broken alliance with One Cebu, the local party of Winston Garcia after the latter accused UNA of cavorting with the rivals of One Cebu candidates and snubbing them in its Cebu sorties.
Garcia is running for Cebu governor against reelectionist Hilario Davide III of the Liberal Party. Garcia’s sister Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia has filed a leave from UNA to support One Cebu’s position to back Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Gwen on leave from UNA, backs Digong
Rama was a member of the Liberal Party until he jumped ship to Binay’s camp in 2012. He is now the UNA regional coordinator in Cebu. TVJ
RELATED VIDEOS
