Arrest of former Cebu City administrator questioned

Local

THE camp of dismissed Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has cried foul over the arrest of former City Administrator Collin Rosell on Friday, November 8.

Lawyer Mikel Rama, son of the dismissed mayor, questioned the legality of Rosell’s arrest, as it was carried out without a warrant.

Mikel, along with Vice Mayor Dondon Hontiveros and gubernatorial candidate Pamela Baricuatro, visited Rosell at the Waterfront Police Station.

Rosell described the incident as an act of "maximum oppression" and "maximum harassment," maintaining that he was simply resuming his duties after his suspension had ended.

Rosell was arrested hours after he entered Cebu City Hall and attempted to assert authority, claiming his six-month preventive suspension had expired.

Led by Col. Antonietto Cañete, chief of the Cebu City Police Office, police officers detained Rosell for alleged usurpation of authority after he occupied the Office of the Mayor and held a press conference where he declared the return of dismissed Mayor Michael Rama.

The incident began when Rosell arrived at City Hall in the morning, insisting that both his suspension and Rama’s had ended on November 6.

Rama had been suspended preventively for six months starting in May, following allegations that he failed to pay four City Hall employees for ten months.

Rama was later dismissed and disqualified from public office due to accusations of nepotism involving the hiring of his two brothers-in-law. However, Rama's camp refused to honor the dismissal due to the failure to serve the order to them.

Denied entry to the City Administrator’s Office, Rosell moved to the mayor’s office, where he announced Rama’s return, despite the Ombudsman’s previous dismissal and perpetual disqualification order against the former mayor.

Rosell remained in the office for hours, drawing attention from City Hall staff and Rama supporters who gathered outside, chanting for Rama’s reinstatement.

Incumbent City Administrator Kristine Joyce Batucan and City Legal Officer Santiago Ortiz filed complaints, prompting Cañete’s team to arrest Rosell around 6 p.m.

The arrest, captured on video, shows Rosell resisting as Cañete attempted to handcuff him.

Rosell argued that he had done nothing wrong, repeatedly calling for the situation to be streamed live, while also asserting that he had a lot of work to do.

He refused to leave the office, stating he was simply resuming his duties after his suspension ended.

In response to Rosell’s actions, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia reaffirmed his position as the legitimate city mayor, citing the Ombudsman’s decision and confirmation from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Garcia urged that City Hall operations continue without disruption, emphasizing the importance of addressing pending work.

He also instructed the police to manage the crowd of Rama supporters with “maximum tolerance.”

Despite the mayor’s stance, Rosell remained defiant, challenging Garcia’s legitimacy.

He continued to assert that there was only one true mayor, claiming that Rama’s camp had never been served the Ombudsman’s dismissal order, which had surfaced online in October after Rama filed his Certificate of Candidacy.

The Cebu City Legal Office documented Rosell’s actions in a police blotter report, stating that he had exercised the powers of the city administrator without approval from either the mayor or the Ombudsman.(MyTVCebu)