Rama not conceding yet, mulls contesting election results

Local

FORMER Cebu City mayor Michael Rama isn’t ready to concede defeat yet in the 2025 mayoral race.

Rama has announced plans to challenge the outcome, citing what he claims are irregularities in the voting and counting processes.

Rama, the standard-bearer of Partido Barug, said he remains unconvinced by the official results of the May 12 polls, which placed him third behind Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan’s Nestor Archival and incumbent mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia of Kusug.

“I am not a sore loser. I am a vigilant servant. If there is doubt, we seek clarity. If there is wrongdoing, we pursue justice. But do not force me to concede,” Rama told reporters in a press conference hours after Archival’s proclamation on May 13.

Archival secured 256,197 votes, defeating Garcia with 176,967 votes. Rama garnered 120,124 votes, based on the official tally from the Commission on Elections.

Despite the wide margin, Rama questioned the credibility of the automated election system and said his legal team is now preparing to take action.

“As such, I am directing our legal team to fathom and take all necessary actions to reconcile the actual situation and the recent election result,” he said.

Rama cited reports from poll watchers and voters about voting discrepancies, including complaints involving the automated counting machines. He recounted his own experience during voting day, which he described as troubling.

“We waited for one hour. This is too much. What is going on? If you're opening a very confidential machine, you have to ensure everything runs smoothly,” he said.

He also claimed to have received a report from a voter who said the candidate reflected on the machine’s screen was not the one they had selected.

“Mayor, dili man mao ang nigawas sa ako gi botaran,” Rama quoted the voter as saying.

“Atu jud ning tugkaron tanan. Ako gi focus lahi man nga tawo. Lahi man ang nigawas,” he added.

Rama stressed that his intent to contest the outcome is not baseless and should not be dismissed as mere political drama.

He said the vote tallies from Cebu City’s north and south districts showed what he called a “suspicious disparity” that warrants investigation.

“If the numbers don't add up, if the trends defy reason, we must scrutinize,” Rama said.

He also floated the possibility of invoking a prior legal precedent his camp had used in past electoral protests.

“Let’s not rush to conclusions. If there are questions about the numbers, we need to look closely and make sure everything is in order. The people deserve the truth,” he said.

Rama revealed he had earlier been invited to run for the Senate but chose to remain in Cebu politics out of what he called a commitment to the city.

“Did you know I was set to run for Senator? Probably not. But because of my love for Cebu City, I chose to stay. I want to settle things here once and for all,” he said.(TGP)