Rama: CH security consultant also oversees the SRP

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday defended his City Hall security consultant after Rep. Tomas Osmeña accused the consultant of being behind the replacement of South Road Property security chief Jose Christian Hembra.

Rama said that the responsibility of Romeo Cordova, who is the consultant on security matters, covers the SRP.

“Major Cordova is sitting as the presiding officer of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council. His concern also covers the SRP,” Rama said, adding that there was no politics in replacing Hembra as SRP security chief.

The congressman said he believes the replacement of Hembra was an act of political vendetta on Rama’s part after Osmeña’s frequent criticisms of his administration.

Osmeña said Hembra was doing a good job at the SRP.

But Rama said there should only be one person to oversee security in the city.

“SRP is part of Cebu City. It was not declared as a separate city, it’s part and parcel of this government,” Rama said.

Osmeña also criticized the appointment of Florence Balungcas, either as chief or assistant head of the SRP security personnel, because Osmeña said she is not qualified for the job being only a midwife.

Osmeña said he received information Balungcas was designated as head of the SRP Security Unit replacing Hembra, although this was denied by Rama who said it was Cordova whom he designated to head the security personnel.

“Christian did a good job securing the SRP for several years. Cordova doesn’t go there, does not know the SRP, is only a consultant and gave direct order written instructions to all SRP personnel to report to the midwife for all their concerns. I have a copy of the order,” Osmeña said.

Balungcas was just found administratively liable for a complaint filed by one of the City Hall consultants.

Osmeña furnished The FREEMAN a copy of a letter from Rama’s secretary Belinda Navasquez to former City Hall consultant Pablo Tinga informing him Balungcas has been found liable for his complaint.

Navasquez further told Tinga that she has already ordered the administrative officer of the mayor’s office Henry Tomolabcad “to implement the sanctions” by transferring her to another office “to avoid similar occurrences with a written warning on her employment records.”

Tinga was irked when Balungcas, who was then detailed at the City Hall’s consultant’s office, last February told him to speed up the preparation of his accomplishment reports from July 2010 to December 2010 because his contract had already been approved by the Bids and Awards Committee.

According to Tinga he later learned that it was not true that his consultancy contract has been renewed by the BAC that is why he filed a complaint against Balungcas “in view of that shameful act she did to me.”

“A great damage has been made on my person because I told my wife and daughters and other friends at City Hall that at long last Mayor Rama has realized my reporting to City Hall giving advice to some city legislators,” said Tinga, who used to be the secretary of former mayor Serging Osmeña.  (FREEMAN)