EDITORIAL - Rama to benefit from suspension

The wide range of public displays by suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama as he relinquished office last Thursday to serve out a two-month suspension could be nothing more than mere theatrics. Rama, after all, comes from a family that counts among its members several big names in the Philippine movie industry. Not that he is impervious to the suspension, only that he might be showing more than he truly feels.

The suspension, for those who did not care to bother with the details, is merely a preventive one. It is not a manifestation of final judgment. It is not a pronouncement of guilt or innocence. More importantly, the suspension is an offshoot of an action for which many believe he ought to be congratulated instead of being sued and condemned.

The suspension unintentionally gives Rama a break from the stresses of being in such a thankless job like being mayor of a large city without having to worry about whether the office he temporarily leaves will still be there for him at the end of two months. The vice mayor, Edgar Labella, who takes over for the duration of Rama's suspension is a friend and ally.

Moreover, Labella is a good, honest and decent man who is not expected to pull a fast one the way others might in such a situation. In other words, Rama can get a good night's sleep with Labella at the helm. That frees up Rama and allows him to do things he probably would not have the time to do had he not been suspended. In a word, Rama benefits rather than loses from the suspension.

With a tough battle for reelection looming ahead of him, Rama can use the two months to consolidate his forces and rally more support, without fear of being questioned about the use of his office and resources. The resulting deprivation of official perks can be worked to his own advantage, like further underscoring the impression that he is just the victim of political harassment and oppression.

Rama may even use the suspension to catch up on personal businesses that, while in office, always had to take the backseat in favor of more pressing official priorities. Such personal businesses are important to people who may have to look to a more subdued and quiet future someday that is away from the driven and hectic life that active politicians lead.

However Rama uses up his time, the suspension is not as bad as he may think or as crippling as his enemies may have intended. There is no stigma that comes with a suspension of this character. The suspension cannot alter his designation nor will it diminish one bit the mandate Cebuanos unequivocally gave. Rama may be out of office, but those who lust for it will just have to wait outdoors as yet.