Tom eyes raps against Rama

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña said that he will file a complaint for abuse of authority against Mayor Michael Rama.

The move stems from a case filed by Rama against Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima without authority from the city council.

Osmeña plans to seek redress before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas or with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

No authority

In a press conference at his residence in Barangay Guadalupe, Osmeña said he had already asked two of his friends who are lawyers to study the matter and to prepare the case.

Rama filed a Petition for Declaratory Relief before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) asking the court to rule whether is it legal for Purisima to personally issue orders relieving Acting Cebu City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva from her post.

Purisima had also designated Assistant City Treasurer Emma Villarete to assume as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC). 

The order has not, however, been implemented after the court issued a temporary restraining order.

Rama, a lawyer, argued that while the city treasurer is under the Department of Finance, but it is the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) that issues transfer orders.

According to Osmeña, Rama can file such legal remedy before the court, but he should not use the name of the “City of Cebu” as the petitioner, because he has no authority from the city council.

Osmeña described such move of Rama as an abuse of authority that is why he is filing a complaint against him.

Rama and the council, which is composed mainly of Osmeña’s allies, have been at odds since the mayor bolted the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

Councilor Jose Daluz III, an ally of Rama, earlier said that not all of the mayor’s moves need the authority of the council, particularly if it does not involve contracts.

But Osmeña said that it would be better that the issue be resolved in court.

Rama said that he is ready to answer the complaint.

Motion for intervention

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said the city council had decided to file a Motion for Intervention before the Regional Trial Court (RTC).

This will allow them to ask for the dismissal of Rama’s complaint against the finance secretary.

Young said that in their motion, the council will formally inform the court that the mayor’s move of filing the case against Purisima has no basis and it could not be considered as the official stand of the city.

He even said that the city council is supporting Purisima’s order relieving Oliva from her post and designating Villarete as replacement.

The vice mayor said he is wondering why Rama, this time, is opposed to the appointment of Villarete as city treasurer when she was among the three persons that the mayor recommended to the post.

Young earlier said that if Rama will recommend supplemental budgets to the city council they will only allow Villarete to represent the treasurer’s office to justify the proposal.

Rama wants Oliva as acting city treasurer because of her aggressive tax collection strategy.

The mayor, however, also admitted last week that for this year, the total collection by the CTO is only P2.6 billion.

The city’s annual budget for this year is P5.2 billion. –/NLQ (FREEMAN)