Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama. JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS
The Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) confirmed on Wednesday that Malaca帽ang had ordered the suspension of Cebu City mayor Michael Rama for ordering the destruction of local government projects in Labangon, Cebu City.
Rama is also an ally of opposition leader Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is running for President in next year鈥檚 elections.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DILG said the Office of the President on Dec. 2 ordered a preventive suspension for 60 days against Rama for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct and oppression.
The order was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, who directed the DILG to implement immediately the preventive suspension of Rama pending the investigation of the charges filed against him.
Before Rama joined the United Nationalist Alliance and allied with Binay, Rama was a member of the ruling Liberal Party from 2010 until 2012.
Rama鈥檚 suspension stemmed from the administrative complaint filed by Barangay (village) Labangon Chairperson Victor Buendia last year for the 鈥渁lleged unilateral act of the Mayor without due process and lawful authority鈥� in ordering the demolition of a center island and street lighting project in the said village.
The center island and street lighting project were funded and undertaken by the barangay.
The suspension order said 鈥渟treet lights and center islands are not nuisances per se since they are not, in themselves, a menace to public health or safety. Indeed, they are usually constructed precisely to enhance the safety of pedestrians and the motoring public. Not being nuisances per se, such structures could only have been lawfully demolished, if at all, through the appropriate proceedings in court.鈥�
No 鈥榦utburst鈥�
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Mel Sarmiento denied reports that Rama recently had an 鈥渙utburst鈥� at the main office of DILG in Quezon City.
鈥淢ayor Rama was not in the central office for the past few days,鈥� Sarmiento said in a text message to 黑料社.
A Cebu Daily 黑料社 report said the order is expected to be served to Rama anytime Thursday or on Friday.
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