Ombudsman clears Garcia of another case

Local

THE Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed a complaint challenging Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s assumption of office, marking the fifth time the anti-graft office has rejected legal challenges to Garcia’s mayoralty.

The case was filed by Atty. Mikel Rama, who accused Garcia of unlawfully taking over after his father’s dismissal.

Mikel, who is running for a south district councilor seat in the May elections, is the son of former Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

Mikel argued that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) was not “privy” to the removal, making Garcia’s succession illegal.

He also alleged grave misconduct and dishonesty, claiming Garcia relied on a memorandum from DILG Central Visayas Director Leocadio Trovela and failed to verify the implementation of the dismissal order before taking his oath.

In a two-page decision signed by Acting Director of Case Records Evaluation, Monitoring and Enforcement Bureau (CREMAB) Corazon C. Arnado-Carrillo, the Office of the Ombudsman ruled that its decisions are “final, executory, and immediately enforceable” and do not require DILG endorsement.

“The directive of the Office to the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas and the endorsement to the Human Resource Division of the City Government of Cebu was well within its prerogative to designate to whom it will endorse the said Decision to ensure its immediate implementation,” the ruling stated.

It further explained, “Thus, the non-indorsement of the Decision to the DILG nor the lack of privity of the implementation thereof of the agency does not make the Decision or its implementation invalid or without force.”

Garcia formally assumed the mayoralty on October 9, 2024, after the Office of the Ombudsman found Michael Rama guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct for hiring two of his brothers-in-law as city employees.

The ruling imposed dismissal from public office and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government.

Before this, Garcia served as acting mayor starting May 2024 while Michael Rama was under suspension for a separate complaint.

The dismissal of Mikel Rama’s complaint comes as his father attempts a political comeback against Garcia in the upcoming elections. Michael Rama secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court, allowing him to run for mayor despite his Office of the Ombudsman-imposed disqualification.

The two political rivals will face off in the May polls.(MyTVCebu)