Malacañang junks ex-Cebu mayor Rama’s ‘oppression’ complaint vs Gwen Garcia
CEBU, Philippines – The Office of the President dismissed former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama’s administrative complaint against Governor Gwen Garcia, citing the lack of substantial proof for a trial to proceed.
His complaint in March stemmed from his accusation that the governor committed grave misconduct when she ordered to stop the civil works for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project.
“The 18 March 2024 Complaint-Affidavit filed by Michael L. Rama against Gwendolyn F. Garcia is hereby dismissed for absence of a prima facie case,” read the resolution signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
The dismissal of the complaint was ordered on October 22. A copy of the resolution was posted on the official Facebook page of the Cebu Provincial Government Public Information Office on Wednesday, October 30.
Presumption of regularity
In Garcia’s Memorandum No. 16-2024, the governor told the project developer, Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group, that the construction of bus terminals were on province-owned lots along Osmeña Boulevard.
The memorandum warned that continuing the construction of the said terminals would be in violation of the National Heritage Act of 2009, as it would block the view of the Provincial Capitol building.
The Malacañang resolution stated that Rama failed to show enough evidence to support his claims of oppression.
“Public officials enjoy the presumption of regularity in the discharge of official duties and to successfully overcome such presumption, jurisprudence demands that the evidence against it must be clear and convincing,” the resolution read.
In June, the Office of the President also denied Rama’s request for the issuance of a preventive suspension order against Garcia.
From allies to rivals
Garcia and Rama used to be close allies under One Cebu Party, helping the Uniteam tandem of then-candidates Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte garner a majority of votes in the province in 2022.
Both politicians have been in conflict with each other since February.
For the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, Rama will try to dethrone incumbent Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, his former ally and nephew of the governor.
Raymond took over Rama’s seat on October 10 after the Office of the Ombudsman found the former mayor guilty of nepotism and subsequently ordered his dismissal.
Despite also being disqualified from holding any government position, Rama still filed his certificate of candidacy with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on October 3, and managed to secure a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court against poll body orders barring him from running in the 2025 polls.
Rappler has reached out to Rama for comment but has yet to receive any reply. Garcia is on an official trip to Fujian province in China and has yet to release a statement on the matter. – Rappler.com