While nomination for Rama's son in place: Garcia bats for “veterans” to fill City Council vacancy

CEBU, Philippines — Despite a unanimous nomination to fill in the vacancy of the legislative seat by the son of dismissed mayor Michael Rama, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia recommends more nominations from the other political parties to execute “fair chances.”

Garcia, in a press conference yesterday, Nov. 4, rather mentioned “veteran” legislators who, to him, are more suitable names compared to the nomination and recommendation of lawyer Mikel Rama, son of dismissed mayor Michael Rama.

Last October 23, 2024, Councilor Phillip Zafra delivered a privilege speech to fill the vacancy of the Sangguniang Panglungsod left by Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros when he officially assumed the post in a permanent capacity.

Hontiveros stepped up, replacing then vice mayor Garcia before he also took oath as mayor following Rama’s suspension.

Mikel’s nomination was unanimously approved by the council.

But according to Garcia, there is a process that needs to be followed and while he considered Mikel as a “very qualified” recommendation since he is a lawyer, he also expressed his own decision to be “fair to all the parties” comprising the Cebu City Council.

He suggested instead having nominations from other parties, namely former city legislators, incumbent Basak Pardo Barangay Basak Pardo Captain Dave Tumulak, and former Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) Chair Lawyer Jose Daluz from Kugi Uswag Sugbo (KUSUG) Party.

Garcia also suggested Engr. Jun Gabuya from the Bando Osmeña- Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK)— the party which comprises the minority of the City Council.

“These are veteran legislators…and then kaning tulo ato ning i-submit sa DILG, i-submit nato sa Office of the President, let the president choose,” said Garcia.

“Ngano ato raman tagaan ang usa ka partido og higayon, ato tagaan og uban pud,” he added.

It was reported that Rama also expressed disinterest in the nomination of his son, Mikel, disclosing that the idea didn’t come from him. Rama admitted that he is not ready to be confronted on Mikel’s nomination adding that he would want his son to run and win the position.

On his ascension and accusation of usurpation

Garcia has refused to fire back at Rama, who in an earlier interview, manifested his intent to file complaints against him for being a “usurper.” Rama also questioned Garcia’s ascendency as full-fledged mayor as it is “invalid.”

Garcia, on the other hand, said his former ally and running mate last election has all the right to file complaints. He added he would just answer these complaints in the “proper time and in the proper forum”.

“You know sugo sa sugo sa maayong pamatasan, di nalang ko mo-react, especially if he is an elder,” said Garcia.

Garcia, however, hopes that Rama would opt to get “good advice” from his legal team to also assess if these complaints have legal backing.

As to the statement of Rama that he was not treated “decently” when a “chief of police and an alleged city attorney went over to his residential area”, Garcia clarified that this did not come from him.

Should there be unfair or indecent treatment against Rama, Garcia said the former should approach the concerned agency.

“But definitely not me because when it comes to these issues, I have treated him very very fairly,” said Garcia.

Meanwhile, Garcia said he will have to consider a “judicial relief” should Rama show up at the City Hall this Nov. 11, Monday, after his six-month preventive suspension was supposed to end on Nov. 10.

In a previous interview, Rama refused to recognize the order of the Office of the Ombudsman that dismissed and disqualified him from government service that came last October 3, 2024. According to him, Garcia’s assumption is considered “invalid” since his camp has yet to receive such an order.

In jest, Garcia said that on November 10, Sunday, he would be at the church. Garcia, however, said that Cebu City Hall during that time will be “business as usual.”

But Garcia reemphasized that the decision of the Ombudsman has compelled him to take the oath of office to assume as city mayor in a permanent capacity. He added this is backed by the order of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Ato man gud ng gipanumpa, I was elected as Vice Mayor of the city of Cebu, with the highest number of votes ever in the history of the city of Cebu with 283,000 votes,” said Garcia.

He then emphasized that when he took oath as Vice Mayor, he had also sworn to take over the duties and responsibilities of the Local Chief Executive if there was permanent incapacity as also mandated in the law of succession under the Local Government Unit (LGU) code.

“I don’t know where I went wrong,” said Garcia.

Should Rama persist in returning to the City Hall once his suspension ends, Garcia said that he will take a “judicial relief” from the court adding that he just followed the law.

Circling back to Mikel’s nomination and recommendation, Garcia then questioned the stance of the complaint of usurpation, saying that if his ascendancy was being questioned, then the assumption the Vice Mayor Hontiveros was also being questioned.

“Because all this, ni connect man gud ni tanan…di man pwede nga ni question ka sa mayor pero and bise mayor ug ang konsehal, di mo mu question,” said Garcia.

Mikel, alongside his father, filed their Certificate of Candidacy for the 2024 midterm election for Cebu City councilor and mayor, respectively, last October 3, 2024, under the banner of the coalition Partido BARUG- Team Rama and BagOng Sugbo — (FREEMAN)