Return of P20T Calamity Aid: Joy’s payment ‘invalid’ - Rama

CEBU, Philippines - Suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said that refund of the P20,000 calamity assistance paid by former city councilor Jocelyn “Joy” Pesquera on his behalf was “invalid.”

“Ang akoa, I have nothing to do with that. I have made it clear,” Rama said, saying that he was still firm on his stand that the distribution of the calamity aid to all 4,200 employees and officials of City Hall was appropriate because of the two calamities that hit the Visayas, including the city, in 2013.

Pesquera last Friday used her own money to refund the calamity aid Rama received to put the mayor “on equal footing” with rival group Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan city councilors who also returned the money they received.

Rama said he will not acknowledge the refund since it was not initiated by him.

“It’s as if nothing has happened. They know better what to do. There is nothing to talk about. I did not make any payment. Hence, any payment made is void ab initio and it does not carry any recognition from me. Simple,” he said.

“Kon ilang gidawat, ilaha sad na. Nganong ipa-refund nga wala gani ko nihatag? Wala gani ko kahibawo,” he added.

Asked if he will encourage Pesquera to get back the money, Rama said she knows what to do.

“Nganong ako mang ipauli? Kinsa may nagbayad? Sila moy pauli-a, dili ako. Basta, dili na valid,” Rama said.

Pesquera, for her part, said she will not get her money back anymore.

“If in case nga correct ang city government nga ang employees are entitled to it, the amount that I gave to the city government will just serve as a donation to the government for the CCMC (Cebu City Medical Center). Dili nako bawi-on,” she said.

Pesquera, though, said that her move will not affect Rama’s stand on the matter as she did it in her capacity as a private citizen.

“Agree ko sa gisulti ni mayor Rama nga he did not have any knowledge and ang akoa sab diha nga wala gyod ko magpahibawo. Kahibawo man ko nga mobalibad gyod to (Rama),” she said.

“Even sa iyang reaction karon nga wala siya malipay. Ang akoa lang sad, sa akong pagtuo, ilang hugon-hugon nga ang kaalyado ra sa Team Rama ang ilang isuspenso, unsa man ilang rason? Ang ilang i-rason kay ang ilang kaalyado sa Liberal Party nang-refund,” she added.

In 2014, lawyer Reymelio Delute sued Rama, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, and City Councilors Nestor Archival Sr., Mary Ann de los Santos, David Tumulak, Nendell Hanz Abella, Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Roberto Cabarrubias, Ma. Nida Cabrera, Gerardo Carillo, Alvin Dizon, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., and Noel Wenceslao for grave misconduct and abuse of authority for granting the calamity aid.

Delute questioned the release of the P20,000 for each of the 4,200 city officials and employees in December 2013, stressing that these people were not directly hit by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda that struck that year.

The Office of the President has tasked the Department of Interior and Local Government to investigate the matter. DILG has concluded the hearings in December 2015.

Labella, currently serving as acting city mayor, said the move of refunding the P20,000 has no effect in their case.

“I don’t think there is still bearing. I will stand by my position that there was a valid enactment of the ordinance and that there was a calamity that needs to be addressed,” he said.

Labella said Delute was attacking the validity of the ordinance and that neither the Office of the President nor the Department of the Interior and Local Government has jurisdiction over the complaint.

Labella said it is only the proper court that can declare that the ordinance is invalid.

Meanwhile, Abella said Team Rama councilors will speak with the mayor to clarify the matter.

A lawyer by profession, Abella said it was a “wrong move” for anyone to refund the calamity aid and that he would feel “bad” if indeed Rama authorized the return of the money.

“If it’s really the mayor’s decision to return, I would feel demoralized nganong iyang giuli because we were really fighting with the case na valid gyod ang calamity aid. Murag nausab iyang stand. We were really fighting from Day 1 sa case nga valid ang ordinance,” he said.

Told that Pesquera, a CPA-lawyer, admitted that she was the one who returned the money on behalf of Rama, Abella said it was still a “wrong move.”

“Sayop gyud ang gihimo ni Atty. Pesquera especially wala mi-inform ni mayor…. Sa akong tan-aw she was concerned of the mayor.  It must be out of love. Kon out of love man gani, wrong na kon imong gipatigbabaw. As a lawyer, iya sad untang gitan-aw ang legal side sa case,” Abella said.

Pesquera, though, said she would stand for what she believes is right.

“I’m with Team Rama. I’m standing for Team Rama. I’m standing for what I believe is right,” she said, adding that she can separate her personal and professional relationship with Rama.

“Kon suspensohon sa Malacañang si Mayor Rama unya dili nila apilon ang mga konsehal makita nga dili sila fair,” said Pesquera, referring to the BOPK city councilors.

For Rama’s nemesis former lawmaker Tomas Osmeña, filing of criminal charges against suspended Mayor Michael Rama would be in order, confident that the suspended mayor would be convicted of the administrative case he is now facing due to the P20,000 in calamity assistance.

Osmeña said that even if Rama would be found liable of the administrative case for grave abuse of authority, his sanction would just be suspension from service.

On the other hand, if Rama would be found guilty of a criminal case, the penalty shall be imprisonment for years.

According to Osmeña, if Rama would be convicted of a criminal case “he’s going to jail”.

Asked about what Pesquera did, the former mayor and south district congressman said it was a sign of guilt.  “They are guilty, that’s how I see it. Ang ilang sistema mura’g ipatuo kuno nga walay labot si Rama sa pagbayad, apan dili ko motuo ana uy. Klaro nga it is an orchestrated move,” said Osmeña. — /RHM (FREEMAN)