CEBU CITY — Officials from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Central Visayas were unable to serve a suspension order on Mayor Michael Rama and seven other Cebu City Hall officials on Friday, as issued by the Office of the Ombudsman.
According to Philippines News Agency, the regional director of DILG-7, the team attempted to personally deliver the suspension order but found that Mayor Rama and the other officials were not present at the city hall upon their arrival Friday afternoon. "Our team will discuss other options. We may resort to substituted service of the suspension order by sending them to the respondents through registered mail," Trovela explained to reporters, emphasizing the department's intention to personally serve the order.
The suspension order includes Mayor Rama, city administrator Collin Rossel, Rossel's wife who is the officer-in-charge of the City Assessor's Office, and other high-ranking officials within the city administration. They are under investigation following allegations by former city government employees that their salaries were withheld for 10 months.
Furthermore, the DILG has posted the Ombudsman's order at the Office of the City Assessor, which constitutes official notification to the suspended officials. Meanwhile, the Office of Vice Mayor Raymund Alvin Garcia confirmed on Friday that they received a directive from the DILG authorizing the Vice Mayor to "exercise powers and perform duties and functions of the local chief executive in an acting capacity," as stipulated under Section 46(a) of the Local Government Code of 1991.
A source from Vice Mayor Garcia's office indicated that Garcia is expected to assume office as acting mayor on Monday, as he is currently on official business in Manila.