Rama to Poblete: Investigate signature on SRP ordinance

CEBU, Philippines - Was Mayor Michael Rama’s signature forged?

This is what City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete wants to find out as he suggests to check on this angle in the issue of Rama’s signature found on the ordinance regulating the sale of South Road Properties (SRP) lots which the mayor does not want to approve.

“Dili man nato kalikayan nga naa man g’yuy ubang tawo nga dunay Golden Hands,” said Poblete, referring to some people’s ability to forge signatures.

The mayor, however, did not say for certain that the signature was not his. When reporters asked him whether it was possible that he signed the ordinance by accident as it was placed among other documents on his table, he said it is not correct to speculate.

“Dili pa ako makasulti kon ngano. Gitahasan nako si Atty. Poblete pag-imbestigar nganong nahitabo man kini kon tinuod man nga ako ang nakapirma,” said Rama. (I asked Atty. Poblete to investigate this.)

Poblete, for his part, said, “Pero kinsa man ‘sab sa mga empleyado ang mopasulod sa maong dukomento ngadto sa lamesa sa mayor nga nahibawo man sila nga supak ang mayor ani?” (But who would dare place it on his table for signing when everyone knows the mayor will not approve of it?)

If the mayor decides to ask a handwriting expert to examine the signature in the original copy of the ordinance, the expert will just compare the questioned signature to the standard specimen of the mayor. The authenticity of the signature can be determined through the stroke and the distribution of ink.

A handwriting expert of the Philippine National Police (PNP) explained that while some persons can make a signature appear similar to that of another person’s signature, forged ones can be easily determined through the distribution of ink.

“Kon ma-forge man sa usa ka tawo ang laing pirma apan ang stroke ug ang distribution of ink sa iyang pagpirma, dili gayud masundog sa original,” the expert said. (Forged signatures may have the same stroke as the original, but not the distribution of ink.)

During yesterday’s session of the Cebu City Council, some councilors thanked Rama for signing the SRP ordinance even if he is opposed to it.

But Rama said he was shocked when he saw the other day his signature on the last page of the five-page ordinance. Rama’s ally, Councilor Edgardo Labella, said that the ordinance is not considered approved yet because not all five pages are signed by him.

Labella said the procedure is that the mayor should sign all the pages of the ordinance, particularly if he vetoes an ordinance. But Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said they will not discuss the issue otherwise so many ordinances passed and implemented can be considered illegal.

Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña took the issue as an opportunity to mock Rama.

“I’d like to congratulate Rama for being the first mayor to veto an approved ordinance,” Osmeña said yesterday, adding that Rama would oftentimes brag that he focuses on work and is a lawyer and yet, he committed such lapse.

“You can’t veto an approved ordinance,” he reminded the mayor.

The former mayor said it’s all about management, like what he does. He said he keeps a separate stack of files for documents that need his signature, and separate these from other kinds of documents. During his time as mayor, he had also appointed some of his executives to countersign important documents before he gave his own signature. — (FREEMAN)