Rama yet to sign return slip for bulletproof van

CEBU, Philippines — Former Cebu City mayor Mike Rama is not yet off the hook, even though he has returned the Cebu City government-issued bulletproof van, which was the subject of a final demand letter and a blotter filed by the city government against him.

Mayor Raymond Garcia confirmed that the controversial vehicle is now back with the city government.

“We already have it. It is already in our possession. It is with the Department of General Services,” Garcia said in a press conference yesterday.

However, while the vehicle is now with the city government, Rama has yet to sign the return of property/equipment form, Garcia disclosed.

Garcia explained that Rama needs to sign the form because, as of now, the receipt of the property remains under his name.

“It’s still under the name of Mayor Mike Rama—former Mayor Mike Rama. What we will do is we will let him sign a return of property slip,” Garcia said.

“Ang sa gobyerno dili man gud na nga inig uli nimo, mupirma ra dayon kag acknowledgement receipt nga imo ng nadawat," he said.

If left unsigned, Garcia said the city's records will still show that it’s under Rama's possession until he signs that return slip.

Garcia said he has already instructed the DGS to have Rama sign the form.

“I already instructed the DGS nga papirmahan na to niya kay willing man gyud siya mu-sign. In fact, nangita siya’g acknowledgment receipt nga iya ng gi-uli ang sakyanan,” Garcia added.

Garcia also emphasized that there is no need to put malice into the issue.

“So dili na lang ta muhuna-huna pa ug malisya. It’s just a matter of documentation,” Garcia said.

Once the form is signed, the city government will then decide what to do with the vehicle.

“Kinsay mugamit ana? Most probably, it will still be under the Office of the Mayor, and we might use it for dignitaries, ambassadors—those who require that kind of vehicle,” Garcia said.

Garcia clarified that no case has been filed regarding the issue, but the incident was blottered in case Rama refused to return the van.

Rama, on the other hand, told The Freeman that he is willing to sign the form and has no hesitation in doing so.

Earlier, Rama, through his legal counsel, set a condition before returning the vehicle—a resolution confirming the implementation of his supposed dismissal by the Office of the Ombudsman.

However, in a previous press conference, Rama said that despite his lawyers’ objections, he decided to return the vehicle.

He clarified that doing so did not mean he had surrendered the fight but rather that he wanted to spare Cebuanos from further stress over the issue. — (FREEMAN)