Rama’s son denies receiving P100-million CCMC donation

Local

THE son of dismissed Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama defended his law office against allegations involving a P100 million donation intended for the long-delayed construction of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

Atty. Mikel Rama clarified on Monday, November 11, that the office did not receive any funds and was only acting as attorney-in-fact in a trust agreement on behalf of the trustor.

Rama, a partner at the Rama Baena Tan Ang (RBTA) Law Office, responded to claims that his firm had accepted part of a P205 million donation for CCMC.

A Facebook post by “Cebu Updates” on Monday accused RBTA of accepting P100 million of the donation, questioning why the funds did not go through the City Treasurer’s Office.

The post raised concerns about transparency and the involvement of the law office in managing what the public assumed to be a donation for a public institution.

The allegations have sparked calls for an investigation by the Cebu City Council, the Commission on Audit (COA), and the Office of the Ombudsman to review the donation’s handling and verify the trust arrangement

He explained that the funds were intentionally withheld from the City Treasurer’s Office to prevent any potential “meddling” by City Hall officials.

Additionally, Atty. Joselito Baena, another partner at RBTA, emphasized that the law office did not receive the funds. He said the Cebu Medical Society accepted the money as the designated trustee.

Baena further explained that RBTA’s role was to represent their client, the donor, and ensure that the funds were secure.

“The trust agreement, with stringent measures, ensures that everything is above board and that our client’s money is protected,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rama reiterated that the money remains private under the trust agreement and is intended as a future “in-kind” donation to CCMC, which would fall outside the jurisdiction of the COA until the transfer to public funds occurs.

He questioned the source of the P205 million figure cited in the allegations and noted that the Cebu City Council is already aware of the transaction’s nature.

The younger Rama has filed his candidacy to run as a South District council in the next year’s elections.(MyTVCebu)